


A Person of Value

by YvaJ



Series: Alternate Travels [1]
Category: Summer of My German Soldier - Bette Greene
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-15
Updated: 2014-04-15
Packaged: 2018-01-19 11:54:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 69,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1468573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YvaJ/pseuds/YvaJ
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Patty risks everything to discover if the events of the past can unlock her future.  Alternate Universe with no character death.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story was written several years ago and it involves what would have happened had Anton managed to make it home to Germany after the war ended and did not die. This story does not completely parallel with the novel it's based upon. Because of it's length, it took a while for me to get it reformatted and posted here. I hope that you will enjoy it.

**Chapter 1**

The light of the city sparkled as Patricia Ann Bergen sat and stared out the window. The stars above her reflected a kind of radiance that always reminded her of that summer when she was twelve-years-old. It is ironic that one is able to remember and consciously recall these events at will, but that was how it was.

The memories of Frederick Anton Reiker constantly flooded her mind. He was the German soldier she had befriended and protected as a child. For Patty, Anton was everything that she wanted to be; smart, wise, and beautiful. After he had escaped from the prison camp, the only conscientious choice was for her to help him.

She knew that no one else would care and so she befriended a person who she knew was just as scared and helpless as she had always been. He needed a friend and as that summer wore on, she realized that she did as well.

The rejection of her family only intensified her need of having someone who loved her. She knew if her parents had found out about this forbidden friendship, her teenage years would have been a living hell and she would have been disowned.

Of course, it was plain to see that this was something she wanted to keep to herself. What really hurt was the fact that after Anton had left, she never heard anything else from him. The ring she treasured, and instead of wearing it on her finger, she had affixed it to a chain and hung it around her neck for many a year. Until the day that the end of the war had come, she would hide this beloved object beneath her clothing, and never show it to a single person.

Today, some twelve years later, she had resolved herself to keeping it in the special jewelry box that her grandparents had given to her after had finished school.

Deep in the recesses of her mind, she could not help but wonder what had become of him.

To this day, she still did not know.

Why must you torture yourself in this way? Patty scolded herself over and over again. It did not seem fair at all. She could neither forget him nor the impact he had had on her life. If only there was a way of contacting him or his family, but there remained no feasible way.

She knew his father’s name, as Anton had spoken of Erikson Karl Reiker in detail. He had been a history professor at the University of Göttingen during the war. Of course, that was many years ago, and today, he could be retired, or no longer alive. If only there was a way for her to find out if this one particular question could be answered and her feelings somehow rectified.

Time seemed to stand still as she reflected on this important time in her life. Suddenly, she realized that her face was covered with tears and looking at her watch, she realized that she had been sitting outside for at least an hour.

She groped for a tissue without taking her eyes away from the stars, but managed to loudly blow her nose. Stuffing the used piece of tissue into her pocket, her attention returned to the pinpoints of light that had somehow captured her imagination. Somehow, there was a magic manifested in them that reflected a truth that would forever be their own.

“Patty?” A voice broke into her thoughts and she turned her head to see that her roommate Melanie Richardson was standing, her tall frame leaning against the doorway, a glass of wine casually in her hand.

“Yeah?” She managed to croak out, the telltale sign that she was not well. Closing her eyes, she waited for her roommate to reel off the inevitable questions.

“What are you doing sitting out here by yourself?” She raised the glass to her lips and casually took a sip of it. “I have a new record album, and I thought maybe we could have a listen. It’s Buddy Holly.”

When she noticed that Patty did not respond, but instead, rested her elbow against the surface of the small table, she came over and sat the glass down on it and reached into her pocket for a small silver plated pocketbook. Extracting a cigarette from it, she retrieved a book of matches before looking at her friend.

For her part, Patty raised her head, “I thought you were quitting,” she mumbled.

“I only smoke when I drink, and you know I don’t drink very often,” Melanie said as she struck a match and lit the cigarette. When her blue eyes met Patty’s, she offered a coy smile as she fluffed her dark blonde hair as she had often seen being done in movies. She then took a long and satisfied draw on the cigarette, the smoke emerging in an exhalation of breath. Growing serious, she regarded her friend. “You look like you lost your best friend.”

“No,” Patty smirked, “you’re still here.” She wafted her hand in front of her face and Melanie made certain that she blew the smoke in the opposite direction.

“So, did you get the job working for Mister Granger?” She asked. “I know that you had an interview today.”

“No, I was not experienced enough for it, he wanted someone who had done more field work with gardening and stuff,” she said, her hand now waving about in disdain. “To be honest, I don’t know if I’m really interested in working as an editor for a gardening magazine anyway. I wanted to work for the _Post_ , but that seemed not to work, either. What is the matter with this picture? It’s 1955, and I can’t get a job anywhere.”

“I’ll tell you what’s the matter, there are too many men in the business and woman are expected to stay home, be married, and have more kids than a dog has puppies. It’s like the shows they have on television, all about married couples and that whole being married bit.” Melanie said, her voice etched in contempt. “That’s the problem, we are somehow expected to live in the olden days. The thought of women trying to work in journalism like men just is not happening. At least not here.”

Patty remembered Charlene Madlee and the work she had done in Memphis. The reporter was still her friend, and had even written a letter of recommendation for her before she left for the big city. That seemed not to do any good, and today, Patty wondered why she had even left Jenkinsville and come there at all.

Seconds later, she once more opened her eyes and looked across the table to see that Melanie had finished her cigarette and had mashed it out. She then reached for her glass of wine and took a long sip.

After several moments, Patty watched as her roommate’s face lost its skeptical edginess.

For several minutes, Melanie studied the face of her friend. Soon she found herself shaking her head with disbelief when she noticed the tears that were escaping from beneath the lids. She hated to see people crying, especially people like Patty, who have been through hell and back.

Melanie automatically assumed that any bad feeling her friend had was centered on her parents. She had met Harry and Pearl Bergen just after Patty had moved in with her, and she knew beyond any doubt that she did not like either one of them at all. The couple carried around snobbish arrogance like a well worn suit, and their behavior towards their daughter was sadistic as well as overbearing. The father had overtly rejected everything that Patty wanted to do, while the mother seemed only interested in using the time in the apartment as cheap lodging while getting that extra bit of shopping done. For whatever reason, they seemed unwilling to even try and communicate with their daughter.

Of course, there were moments when Melanie wanted nothing more than to throw logic completely to the wind and ask them how it was that they could have treated their child like she was yesterday’s rubbish. Although this angered her, she managed to somehow hold her tongue while in their company.

Seeing Patty crying on the balcony that evening was like watching a repeat performance of some of the emotions that had been triggered by her parents’ atrocious behavior. Melanie could not help but notice that the closer it got to the summer months, the more challenging it had become for her friend to keep those feelings concealed.

“Patty?” Melanie spoke her name and waited for the younger woman to turn around and address her inquiry.

After several seconds, she wiped her tears away. Her face seemed to carry an element of courage that she was fighting diligently to keep intact. “It’s nothing; I was just thinking about some stuff is all.”

“Like what?” Melanie asked. “I mean; you seem pretty lost. Maybe you could just tell me what is happening and why you are somehow trapped in your own little world.” She handed her roommate a tissue. “What's going on?”

She accepted the offered item, but gave Melanie a weak smile, “Let me ask you a question,” she began. “Would you hate me if you learned something about me that no one else knows? I mean; something about my past.”

“Your dad didn’t abuse you, did he?” Melanie asked, immediately sensing the worst.

“No, of course not,” Patty said. “This has nothing to do with my parents; Mel, it’s just about me and something that happened when I was a kid.”

“I wouldn’t hate you,” Melanie said. “Just tell me what's up, and why you’ve been getting so sappy. I’m worried about you, Patty.”

The girl remained quiet, but instead of speaking, she got up from the table and returned inside. Once she had gone down the hallway and entered her bedroom, she noticed that Melanie had left the wine outside and was now doggedly following her.

Inside the bedroom, Patty immediately went over to the small wooden box that her grandmother had given her. She carefully pulled up the lid and removed a heavy gold ring from it. This, she handed it to Melanie.

“That’s a man's ring, where did you get it?” Melanie nudged Patty but offered a sheepish grin. “You didn’t say you had a boyfriend.”

“Read the writing on it, Mel,” Patty instructed.

Without speaking, Melanie reached into the front shirt pocket and pulled out a pair of small spectacles. Putting them on, she began to read the inscription and after several seconds had passed, she raised her head. “Patty, who gave you this? The inscription is in German.”

Patty nodded as the tears began to stream down her cheeks. “My friend gave it to me,” she said as she dug around inside the box and pulled out a 12-year-old newspaper clipping. The byline read that her friend, Charlene, had written it.

Wordlessly, she handed it to Melanie.

The article looked to be yellow from age, but the words were still visible as Melanie began to read what was written. Patty waited until her roommate had finished reading through the article to completion. When she had finished, she lowered the clipping before turning and looking at her friend. Seconds passed and her attention once more diverted to the photograph that was along the left side of the page.

The black and white picture depicted a young man who looked to be in his early twenties. The age beneath the picture indicated that he was, at the time of it having been taken, 22-years-old. He was handsome and carried a serious look on his face, but his eyes seemed to carry a wisdom and depth that exceeded any and all expectation. Directly underneath the picture was the caption. ‘Frederick Anton Reiker, escapee’.

“Escapee?” She looked at Patty, the unasked question looming in the air.

Patty swallowed, the stillness of the area now feeling as though it was about to suffocate her. Eventually, she allowed the words to emerge, her eyes closing as her confession came. “He was my friend,” was all she could say.

“Your friend?” Melanie asked. “You mean; you know this guy?” Somehow the older of the two women knew beyond any doubt that it had become necessary for her to wrangle the story out of her friend.

It was also clear that Patty looked a bit insecure about the whole thing, her eyes were closed as though half expecting Melanie to turn tail and run away from her as fast as her legs would carry her. Yet, when she opened them again, she noticed that her friend was still standing there, her fingers draped casually over the piece of newspaper, but no words emerging.

After what seemed like an eternity, Patty found her voice, and managed to squeak out the single word answer. “Yes.”

How would Melanie react to this? She wondered.

All Patty could do now was wait, the silence only shifting when the resonances of honking horns wafted through the open window from the Atlanta streets below.

“How is it possible?” She asked as she checked the date and noticed that it was during the war. “Oh my God. Patty, how could this guy have been your friend? According to this, he was a German prisoner of war...and you...your family is Jewish.”

Patty put her face in her hands and shook her head. “I guess at the time none of that mattered and maybe it sounds bad, but it still doesn’t. I may be Jewish, Mel, but I haven’t been back to a synagogue in years. The last time was when I visited my grandparents in Memphis.”

Melanie nodded, but returned the newspaper clipping to her. “How did you meet?”

“He was brought into my father’s store during the first part of the summer. I came to realize that he was smarter than anyone I had ever met. Soon after that, he escaped and I helped him to stay hidden for a number of weeks. We became friends and talked about books and ideals. He was my friend, Mel and he was the most kind and loving person I had ever met. He was all the things my father wasn’t.”

“You didn’t have sex with him, did you?” Melanie asked.

“Get real, I was only twelve,” she said. “But, I loved him more than I loved myself. The night that he left, I realized how much I loved him. He had decided to move on and would leave. Even though I wanted to go with him, he wouldn’t let me. He said that it was too dangerous for me and so had to stay home.”

“He was right,” Melanie said. “So, what eventually became of him?”

Patty shook her head. “I don’t know. After he left the hideout, I never heard anything from him. Not even those two FBI guys came back into town looking for him or me. I guess they figured that it was a lost cause to come back and see me. The truth is; I don’t even know if he’s alive or dead. He couldn't very easily have written to me, I mean I was living at home with my parents and you know how they are. The thing is, if they knew about any of this, then they would have had a fit.”

“You mean after all this time, you’ve managed to keep all of this to yourself?” Melanie could hardly believe her ears.

Patty nodded.

“Is there a way for you to find out if he’s alright? I mean; don’t you have a number to reach him?” Melanie was beginning to like this story, it sounded like ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and for some strange reason, it did seem to rationalize why it was Patty was so heartbroken. It happened twelve years ago, but it might as well have been the day before yesterday because it was still that fresh in her mind.

“I don’t know, Mel,” she whispered. “Nobody knows that I protected him. I know I was just a kid, but now I can’t seem to forget about him.” She sighed deeply.

“Do you love him?” Melanie asked.

“I did once, but I don’t know if I still do or not,” she whispered. “It was a long time ago, and for all I know he could be married, with half a dozen kids, and a house with a picket fence.” This single solitary thought was the only one that seemed to block her from following through with a plan that she had had since she had turned eighteen.

Eventually, she looked at her friend. “I guess I do still love him. I just miss the way he made me feel. Like…like I was a person of value. Anymore, it seems so long ago.” Patty took the necklace from Melanie and put it around her neck as opposed to back in the jewelry box.

“Patty, it seems like a long shot, but why can’t you just go to Germany and find out? You know the area where he’s from, right?” Melanie asked.

“Go see him?” She whispered, her face losing all its color.

“Sure, hop on a plane, get on a boat, and go to Germany. The war’s over, and you have your passport from when we went to Canada last year, so just do it. There’s nothing stopping you, and it seems pretty obvious to me that you are still pretty hung up on him. What was it the old psychology professor used to say? ‘Sometimes you have to face your past before you can face your future’.”

“You think that I’m still hung up on him?” Patty asked softly. “It was 12-years-ago, Melanie. It was back when I was an idealistic child. He probably wouldn’t even recognize me. Even if he did, who’s to say that he would want me to interfere with his life?”

“Look, you were just saying that you loved him. I think you still do and that the only thing that is really preventing you from going is your fear. You still do care for him, and my guess is that you’re afraid that he may not reciprocate those feelings. If he had as great an impact on you as you say, then perhaps all you can do is go there and find out. You won’t be able to do anything professionally until you get your personal life sorted out.”

Patty smiled, “Is that your psychological analysis, Doctor?”

“Yes, it is,” she said with an adamant nod. “Look, I may not agree with what you did, but I would be willing to make a deal with you. You go to Germany before trying to find another job and I’ll give up smoking completely.” She extended her hand to Patty. “Have we got a deal?”

Patty thought for several moments about what her friend was saying. There was something genuine in her words, something that perhaps helped Patty to make the decision to go. “Okay, I’ll do it, but Mel, I’m scared.”

“Well, consider this; you’ll see a part of the world we have never seen before, and when you get back, instead of becoming an editor, you can write your own novel. Happy endings are a dime a dozen, but you will have found the courage to do something that no one else would even consider doing. You are going to search for a lost love.”

“Maybe, but you think he would remember me?” Patty whispered. “I was just a child back then and he’s a man.”

Melanie patted her friend’s hand. “He would have to be insane to have forgotten about you. I mean; what you did for him was nothing like anything I’ve ever heard of. You told me that you helped a German during the war, and now you are telling me you don’t know if he loves you?” She paused as Patty nodded. “Well, it seems to me that even if he doesn’t have those romantic inclinations towards you, he still owes you a lot.”

“I-I don’t expect anything from him,” Patty looked down in her hands, but went over and seated herself on the bed.

“Maybe not, but it seems to me that he owes you far more than you can imagine,” Melanie sat down next to Patty. “Just go to Germany and see what happens. Just don’t forget to send me a postcard. Do you know where in Germany you want to go?”

“Yes, I know the city, but I don't know the address. I guess the truth of the matter is I’m afraid of what I will find once I get there.”

“You mean you’re afraid that he will be gone or already married?” Melanie asked.

Patty nodded as she nervously began to fiddle with the ring. “It’s not just that. There are a lot of things that I would like to say to him, but I don’t know where to start.”

“Well, from what you’ve been telling me, he will not forget you. Patty, you did something that I couldn't have done, even if I did like the guy. It was during the war, and you took some pretty intense risks. I admire you for it, but that no one found out is rather amazing.”

Patty shook her head smiling with relief. “Besides Ruth, you’re the only person I have ever told any of this to.”

Melanie smiled, but reached over and touched the ring. “Well, all I can tell you is that you have to do this. If for no other reason but to find out what happened to him.”

Patty looked over at Melanie again, but instead of speaking, she got to her feet and returned to the jewelry box and began to rummage around in it before pulling out an envelope. Running it between her fingers, she raised her head and looked at her friend.

“What's that?” Melanie asked.

“My savings,” she answered handing the envelope to Melanie. “Do you think it will get me to Germany?”

Melanie pulled out the money which was inside the envelope. As she counted it out, her jaw dropped open. “There's twenty-five hundred dollars here.”

“I’ve sort of been saving it since I was twelve. A thousand came from my grandparents, but every week I would throw some money into it. A nickel here, a dime there. It’s amazing how much one can accumulate while drinking water instead of milk during lunch time at school. I never really put too much emphasis on it, simply because I didn't want anyone to find out what the plans for this money were. Especially not my family, I’ve already been through enough with my father.”

“I can understand that, your father is enough to make me want to run away. Your family doesn't seem to notice what is right for you, but I think you should go for it. I know that it’s hard, but it’s your life, Patty, and what you do with it is ultimately going to be your choice,” Melanie said, but then changed the subject with a grin. “Do you want a glass of wine? I’m going to pour me another. Long lost love stories make me thirsty.”

“Sure.” Patty took the envelope from her friend. “Oh and Melanie?” As the other woman turned around, she smiled weakly. “Thanks.”

“Anytime,” she smiled coyly as she turned towards the door. “I may not understand politics all that well, but love is something I do understand and I think you really do love that guy. So, go see him and then find out if there is at least something there for you.”

With those words hanging in the air, she left the room.

Patty stood alone for several minutes as she began to rummage around in her desk for a telephone number which she had kept for well over six years. Do I really want to do this? She pondered for what seemed to be the umpteenth time. Finally, although hesitantly, she picked up the phone, looked down at the slip of paper, and began to dial.

After waiting for a few moments, there came an answer. “Hello...yes...I'd like to reserve a ticket to New York City from Atlanta. When? Well, as soon as possible if you have something...tomorrow? Yes, tomorrow is perfect. My name? Patricia Ann Bergen. Yes, I will be there well before ten to pick up the ticket at the station. Yes, thank you very much.”

When she hung up the phone, her hands were shaking. It would take nearly a full day and a half for a train to get her from there to New York. Yet, for whatever reason, she felt monumentally relieved about having taken that particular step.

Taking a deep breath, she slowly walked over to her cabinet and dug around for a suitcase as Melanie entered the room and started to watch as she began to toss clothing onto her bed. “I take it you’ve made up your mind and are leaving.” She said.

“The train to New York City leaves tomorrow at ten,” she said. “They said that I have the reservation, but need to get there prior to ten to pick up the ticket. From New York harbor I can get passage on a ship bound for Hamburg, Germany. I figured that I could probably spend a couple of nights in Manhattan before getting on board a ship.”

“Are you scared?” Melanie asked.

“More afraid of what will happen when I get to Germany than I am about actually going,” she said. “I have always wanted to visit New York, and now that I’m going to, it all seems so strange.”

“What should we do about the apartment?” Melanie asked. Before she could continue speaking, Patty pressed several bills into her hand.

“That should at least cover my half of the rent when it comes due,” she said, her eyes closing somewhat. “If by some miracle I do find him, then I’ll wire you a telegram and let you know what happened.”

Melanie nodded and smiled, her eyes filled with excitement. “I can’t explain why, but something tells me that you’re about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime.”

“Maybe,” Patty said softly, but she knew that in the blink of an eye, she had made a choice that would change her entire life forever. Yet, she still pondered if what she was doing was the right thing after all.

As she began to dig around in her belongings, she eventually found her passport and with shaking hands she opened the small booklet. Aside from the trip to Canada, she had never traveled outside of the US before, but now she sat holding it, all the while remembering Anton’s description of the town he lived in. She could still not help but wonder if what Melanie had said was the truth. She would be taking a journey that she did not expect at all.

Seconds later, she had called New York and reserved a cabin on a ship that would sail to Germany in four days.

She went back outside and sat down. Seconds later, her roommate brought out a second glass of wine and she sat, once more staring at the sky overhead, all the while taking tiny sips of the wine.

What is going to happen to me now? She asked herself. Anton had once affirmed that she was very brave, but she did not feel brave at that moment, she felt utterly terrified. Somehow talking about pressing forward and actually doing it were two vastly different things.

It was now too late for her to back down and no matter what happened, she knew that she stood at the brink of not only unlocking the door to her past, but perhaps discovering the key to her future.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

“Next station, Grand Central, New York City,” the booming voice filled Patty’s ears two days later. She felt as though she had been on a train forever, the stations now all looked the same and she was ready to get outside, breathe in the air, and see something besides people storming through the train cars like a bunch of banshees.

She reached for her rucksack, swung it over her shoulder, and grasped the handle of her suitcase as she started to wearily pull her body out of the seat and make her way up the aisle towards the door. This would eventually lead her out of the cramped train compartment and into the subdued lit station that the train was now pulling into.

She inhaled sharply, the smell of cigarette smoke and human sweat filling her nose as she heaved the suitcase towards the door, her eyes scanning the area for some semblance of familiarity. Of course, what she saw was nothing of the sort, everything was strange and different.

On the platform, crowds of people had assembled, no doubt waiting for her fellow travelers to disembark for hugs and kisses. The thought of this made Patty feel all the more strange in unfamiliar surroundings. She was alone, she had no traveling companions that she could talk to, and she felt like a fish out of water. As the train stopped, she noted that the entire area seemed to be filled with either hobos or prim and proper ladies and gentlemen. There seemed to be nothing in between.

Making her way off the train, she inhaled the air that seemed a strange mix between oil and humidity. This seemed to swallow her up, but she stopped for a brief second only to hear the sound of a woman behind her. “Come on little girl, get the lead out.” The curt sounding voice made her feel as though she was once again being talked down to by the townspeople of Jenkinsville.

Eventually, she managed to disembark without any other cross-words being thrown in her direction. Feeling some semblance of relief, she soon found herself on the platform somehow squished between her luggage and the people who were literally shoving their way towards the stairs that led out of the cramped area.

Heaving her suitcase along, she followed the masses of people towards a red and white colored exit sign.

“Excuse me.” A man’s voice abruptly filled her ears and for some reason, she found herself stopping and turning around, all the while pondering if he was actually addressing her. He waved his arm as though trying to flag down a cab during rush hour, but assuming that he was calling out to someone else, she turned and started to walk again. “Miss, wait,” his voice emerged once again and she stopped.

The man eventually managed to reach her. The first thing she noticed about him was his hair. Perhaps for good reason as it reminded her of the disastrous handiwork of Miz Reeves, the Jenkinsville hair stylist. His hair was curly, almost psychotic looking. In his hand, he held what looked to be a stenographer’s notebook, and his blue eyes sought hers as though he knew her, but she had never seen him a day in her life. His clothing was, like hers, rather plain and simple. He wore a blue shirt with a zipper jacket over that as well as black trousers.

He appeared middle-aged as he had wrinkles surrounding his eyes, or what her friend, Ruth, used to call ‘laugh lines’. He glanced around where they were standing and noticed how she was watching as the platform was emptying out.

Eventually, she found her voice, all the while trying to pat he hair into place. “Were you addressing me, sir?” Her voice emerged rather phony, and she was immediately reminded of the day she met Anton. But, this was not Anton, and despite her trying to conceal it, a wave of sadness washed over her.

“Yes, I was,” he said honestly as he stuck the pen he carried into the breast pocket of his shirt and regarded her. “I don’t mean to intrude, but are you lost, young lady?”

Great, she internally moaned. It was true that everywhere she went, people always seemed to think that she was much younger than she actually was. Yet, today, being twenty-four, Patty was a dead ringer for a wet behind the ears kid just moving away from home for the first time in her life.

This man’s inquiry was case in point to that.

Instead of responding, she began to walk again, this time trying with all her might to heave the suitcase along with as much a disinterested expression as she was able to muster. Unfortunately, she was failing miserably and could almost tell that he was able to read her like a dime-store novel.

“Excuse me,” the man repeated, this time his words emerging somewhat hurried, if not laced in concern. “Please, I don’t mean to intrude, I simply was not certain that one so young as yourself should be walking about here alone. There are thieves and hobos hanging about. May I, at least, escort you to the exit?”

Despite her misgivings, the suitcase slipped from her fingers and landed on the ground by her feet. Instead of speaking, she continued to take in the finer points of this man. He was handsome and his lips seemed to curve upward in a friendly enough smile. While she waited for him say something, his gaze seemed to be locked on her.

The strangest thing for her to piece together about him was how he looked about as out of place in this hustling and bustling city as she felt.

Wordlessly, he leaned over and picked up her suitcase and motioned towards the stairs. She nodded and began to doggedly follow him, all the while not certain as to what she would do once they reached the landing. He had her suitcase, but he did not seem the type of person to run off with it. For whatever reason, she felt herself inclined to trust him.

When they reached the top of the stairs, he offered a casual smile, but continued to carry her bag over to a group of chairs before putting it down.

By this time, Patty had reached where he was now standing and looked up at him. “I suppose I should thank you for your assistance back there.”

“My pleasure,” he said with a warm smile. “I noticed that you were on the train coming in from Atlanta and you looked to be traveling alone.”

“Yes,” she said. “Were you waiting for someone to arrive?”

“Actually, no I wasn’t,” he explained. “You see, I sit down there just about every Tuesday afternoon at this time. You may think me a bit odd, but I ‘people watch’ hoping to find subjects for stories and plays.”

“Why?” She asked.

“Well, that’s easy,” he shrugged his shoulders. “Sometimes, I get some of my best ideas through observing other people in everyday interactions. I go to places all over the city and look for unique and interesting individuals to write scripts about in the hopes of one day having one of my plays put out on Broadway.”

“Does it work?” She asked.

“Well, no, not yet, but I’m pretty open to new ideas and am rather hopeful that it will work out one day,” he smiled. “My fiancé, Kathy, thinks the idea is a bit twisted, and perhaps it is, but people do not accomplish great things by never taking risks.”

“I don’t think it sounds strange at all,” she said honestly. If he only knew what I was doing, he would no doubt consider me to be strange or bizarre, she added silently.

“My name is David Lowery,” he said, his words breaking into her thoughts. He extended his hand towards her and they shook hands.

“Patricia Bergen,” she said, but began to shift her rucksack so as to fish out the address to the place where she was going to be staying during her two nights in Manhattan. She did not say much else besides that, but instead watched as he tucked the notebook in the side pocket of his trench coat and sat down on one of the chairs.

She continued to watch him, but instead of distancing herself from him, she remained where she was, her gaze watching him as he ran his hand through his hair. He seemed nice enough, she thought. Perhaps he is somewhat different, but she had already had her experiences with being an outcast and figured that he probably could relate to that. “I’m pleased to meet you, Mr. Lowery.”

“Likewise, Miss Bergen,” he responded with the use of her surname, but his eyes were somehow laced in amusement. “Have you found a place to stay while you’re in this ‘city that never sleeps’?”

Wordlessly, she extended the card to him and watched as he began to read the address. “Do you have any idea where this place is?” She eventually asked as he returned the card to her.

“Young Women’s Christian Association,” he said as he brushed his hand over his lips and nodded. “Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. The building is actually several blocks away from my apartment. I can show you how to get there if you don’t mind walking.”

“Actually, I would rather walk. After sitting on a train for an extended period of time, I was starting to feel as though I had cabin fever,” she said honestly.

“I heard that could happen on a plane, or perhaps a ship, but never on a train,” he said.

“Well, when you have to sit in a cabin with two businessmen talking about stocks and bonds, and a family with three screaming kids, I guess it could happen,” she said openly. After several moments, she reached for the suitcase, but he held up his hands in negation.

“Here, let me,” he offered.

Instead of snubbing him by refusing, she nodded but watched as he dug in his jacket and pulled out the stenographer’s notebook. “This is the insurance that you know I won’t steal from you. This notebook has my newest play in it.” He then picked up the suitcase and together they started walking towards the exit.

“Are you from New York?” She asked all the while knowing that curiosity was one of her stronger points. It had to be the case, as she was a trained reporter. She also realized that a little bit of small talk with him was perhaps a far cry better than no talking at all.

“No, I actually grew up in Chicago. Contrary to it being a big city, there are not that many jobs out there for playwrights. So, I packed my bags and came here to try and seek my fortune. After the war ended, I returned with the hopes of making a name for myself on Broadway. The big word here is ‘trying’. It’s been six years since I’ve been back, and I’m still trying to sell one of my scripts. Of course, I did work a play in an off-off-Broadway production several years ago, but their house was about as large as the number of players in the cast. I decided to concentrate solely on writing after that.”

“So you’re really a writer?” She asked, her interest piqued. “As in a professional?”

“I don’t know if I am a professional, per se. I don’t know of too many pros who hang around underground train stations looking for ideas for plays.” He smiled.

“You are the first,” she said. “But, considering where I come from, and the fact that I’ve never been to New York before, that’s not saying very much.”

“So, what about you?”

“I’m a reporter, sort of,” she said without hesitation. “I worked for the _Memphis Commercial Appeal_ and did my internship there. Once that ended, I decided to move to a bigger city, and straight into the unemployment line.”

“Sounds delightful,” he said smirking. “What sort of reporting do you do?”

“Nothing big, I did a number of stories during my internship. My biggest was writing the review for the play ‘Death of a Salesman’ when it opened at that Memphis Theater last summer,” she said. “My friend Charlene thought that I had come up with a plethora of new words for it. Of course, that just goes back to the time when I read dictionaries during my youth.”

“You read dictionaries?” He asked.

“Sure,” she shrugged her shoulders as they walked down the busy esplanade in the direction of what looked to be a large church on a street corner. “Haven’t you ever wanted to know absolutely everything about what you were reading?”

“Of course, but that sounds a bit strange to me,” he said honestly. “No offense.”

“None taken,” she said idly. “I started doing this because it really helped when I’m looking for the right words to say. Anyway, I suppose to be a reporter they don’t need fancy words like ‘incorruptible’.”

“Yeah, but just make sure you’re not writing about politics if you’re using that particular word,” David said with a smirk. “So, is that what brings you to New York? Are you going to try and land yourself a job here?”

“No, I’m actually on my way to Europe,” she said. “I’m going to stay here for two days and then get on a ship and sail over there.”

“Really?” He asked, his eyes growing wide. “I figured on a lot of answers from you, but that was not the one I expected. I guess I’m just too old for those kinds of adventures. I turned forty last year and my age is indeed catching up with me.” He smiled as he ran his hand through his unruly hair yet again and seconds later, they reached a crosswalk and stopped. As they waited for the light to change, David’s next question emerged. “Where in Europe are you going?”

“Germany,” she said.

“I heard it was pretty messed up over there after the war, cities like Hamburg and Dresden were pretty much destroyed,” he said casually.

She nodded. “I heard the same thing, but I’ve always wanted to go to Europe, so I decided rather spontaneously that I would.”

Seconds later, they reached the front of a large building and David raised his hand and pointed. “Here we are, just as I promised.”

“Thank you,” she said as he handed her the suitcase and she returned his notebook to him.

“Not a problem,” he said as she started to walk away, but his voice called out to her once again and she stopped walking. “Listen, how would you like me to show you the main sites of the city before you take off? No strings attached, of course, I just figure that you might like to have someone who knows the area show you around. I have no ill-gotten intentions, I am not flirting or anything like that, I just figured that since you seem like a nice person, I could show you some of the sights.”

“Why?” She asked.

“Well, I just remember the day when I first got here and how it was a bit intimidating for me to be roaming the streets and not knowing a single person.”

Patty nodded. “I guess there’s no harm in that.”

“Great,” he said. “If you want I’ll wait for you here and you can go and check in. Maybe afterwards, we can go and have a sandwich or something. I know of a really nice sandwich shop in this neighborhood and the prices aren’t too shabby, either.”

She nodded and once she had grabbed her suitcase, she went inside.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Ten minutes later, Patty came back outside, her hair now tied back and her eyes scanning the area looking around for some signs of her new acquaintance.

When she spotted him, she smiled and approached where he was standing. He had pulled out his notebook and started writing small notations in it. Once she approached, he quietly slipped it back into the pocket of his trench coat.

“Ah, Miss Bergen, that was quick,” he greeted her, a cordial smile spread across his face.

“Call me Patty,” she eventually offered, her voice more casual than it had been back at the train station. “Usually when someone says my surname, I immediately think my mother is lurking around somewhere waiting to swoop down and scare me to death.”

Despite the serious undertones of her voice, he nodded and smiled. “Well, then, you can call me David.”

She nodded. He seemed not only to be a nice man, but he also carried a wisdom around as though he had had enough experience with the ways of the world. This was something that was indeed unconventional about him.

At the same instant, she started to ponder what her father would think about her hanging around with a man who was considerably older than she. No doubt would Harry Bergen think that David Lowery was out for something bordering on unethical.

How was it that a man like her father could think that everyone had ulterior motives in mind? She asked herself as she fell into step beside David. As they walked, he would point out places and things of the area that gave it a more distinctive flare. He was proud of the city, and it was almost as though he was born there, as opposed to having relocated.

Several minutes later, they rounded a corner and she saw a vast number of small restaurants and cafés along both sides of the narrow one-way street. Cars were parked along it, but that did not stop the honking taxis from literally squeezing their way down the street.

After passing several doorways, one smelling distinctly of pizza, the next of gyros, they stopped at a deli, the sign in blue and white with ‘Franz’s Deli’ etched over the doorway. The door leading inside was propped open by a small chunk of wood and the interior, although old and rustic, seemed to be neat and clean. The tantalizing fragrance of freshly baked breads and pastries soon wafted out and filled her nose.

“It’s not much with the atmosphere,” David said. “But, most of the good places are like this. The proprietors put more emphasis on the quality of their food as opposed to the appearance of their establishments.”

Patty nodded, but at this point she did not care, she was hungry, and the scents that wafted outside were enough to remind her of the last time she had actually eaten something substantial.

If truth were known, her stomach had started growling back when she was on the train. During that time, she had actually contemplated going somewhere and grabbing something to eat before heading to her place of lodging.

Strangely enough, she could distinctly remember that the last thing she had eaten was an egg salad sandwich that had been sold to her on the train. The price had been astronomical and the taste remotely like having eaten a piece of buttered down, egg flavored, cardboard.

She knew that the wares coming from this shop would be a thousand times better than what she had on the train and she could feel her mouth watering the moment they walked through the doorway.

“This smells wonderful,” she said appreciatively.

As they walked the length of the small café, she noticed a number of tables squeezed along the side walls of the small, informal shop. Seconds passed and a doorbell sounding chime emerged overhead, thus causing the man at the counter to raise his head and wait for them to approach.

“This is my favorite deli because the bread and pastries are probably the best as well as the most fresh in the entire city.” He said as they reached the counter. “Hello Franz.”

“Ah, David,” the balding man spoke, his eyes darting from the counter top where he had been reading an article out of _The New York Post_ to the two of them. “How are you?”

“I’m great,” he said smiling cordially.

“Shall I make the usual?” Franz asked.

David nodded as the keen eyes of the older man shifted from David over to where Patty was standing and trying to place Franz’s unusual accent. “And you, Fräulein?”

“What is the usual?” She asked.

“That would be turkey and ham on a sesame bread roll and an orange soda,” David said.

Patty nodded. “That sounds good, I’ll have that, too.”

Franz nodded and turned his attention to the refrigerator that was along one side of the counter. Extracting two bottles, he extended them over to David.

Patty watched as David reached for the bottle opener and used it to remove the metal lids on the two bottles.

Once Franz had collected the lids and threw them away, he put two straws into the opened ends of the bottles. The word ‘Fanta’ was written across one side of each of these bottles, their shapes reminding Patty of the soda fountain café that she had visited with her grandmother back in Memphis.

Collecting the bottles, they made their way over to a table that was in the far corner of the brightly lit deli. As soon as they sat down, she looked at him. “Are there a lot of Germans living here? I mean; I have a friend who is German, but I don’t know if he would have settled here.”

As if by impulse alone, her thoughts abruptly shifted back to Anton. Could he have settled in New York like the man who was now busily putting their sandwiches together at the counter? One question seemed to blend into another and she found herself resting her chin in her hands as she took her first sip of the soda and tasted the tangy orange flavored drink.

“I don’t know about the specifics, Patty, but we might ask Franz about it, he would probably have some connections to the German groups here. These are informal organizations, but I have never really heard anything about them or researched their presence.” he said openly. “Maybe because I’m Jewish, and Jews being interested in Germany is a rarity given our recent history.”

 _Is he preaching to the choir or what?_ Patty silently mused. At that moment, she remembered how Anton had made the remark about Bergen being a nice German name, but when she had said that it was also a nice Jewish name, she had found herself afraid of how her friend was going to react. Now she sat across from another Jewish person and felt strangely about explaining why she felt an overwhelming obsession with the German culture.

At the very same instance, she pondered whether or not Anton might actually be in New York, or would he have jumped a ship bound for the other side of the Atlantic once he reached the East Coast? Instead of concentrating on this, she took another sip of her drink as Franz brought over the two sandwiches.

“Here you go, two ‘usuals’,” the older man said with a smile, his green eyes twinkling and Patty looked down at the sandwich. It looked to have been prepared in the same loving manner Ruth would put sandwiches together back home in Jenkinsville.

The sandwich was piled high with vegetables, meat, and cheese. Not only that, but it was neatly cut in half and wrapped in translucent paper. Looking down at it, she could see the edges of lettuce, tomatoes, and even sliced up boiled eggs peering out from the exposed sides.

“Thank you,” she said. “This looks almost too nice to eat.”

“She’s not from around here, is she David?” Franz asked, this time his German accent easily detectable. His English was not as crisp as Anton’s had been, but he seemed friendly enough. She started to wonder if all Germans were as nice as this man or as intelligent as Anton had been.

“No, actually she arrived here from Atlanta earlier today,” David said.

“You met while on your weekly trek to the station, I see,” Franz said as he pulled a chair and moved it so that he could seat himself on the other side of the table. “You see, my dear, most people devour my food without such contemplations of the work that goes into it.”

As if by instinct, Patty shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. I guess I can remember when I was little and would help my friend shell peas for the night’s supper and I can recall how much work it was.”

Franz smiled as he stood up. “That’s very nice, but I’ll leave you both to eat. You must have some strength reserved if you are to explore this incredible city.”

“Before you go, Franz, maybe you can tell Patty here what you know about the Germans who have settled here. Since you know just about everyone who lives here, maybe you can help her find someone,” David said.

“I can try if you can give me a name,” Franz said.

“His last name is Reiker,” Patty said as she took a bite of the sandwich and waited for Franz to respond.

When he did, her spirits plummeted. “No, I don’t know of anyone by that name, but I do know that if you go to the Goethe Institute they have a record of the people who live here who came from Germany,” he said. “Not everyone has their name registered in their listings, but going there might make it easier for you to find your friend.”

Patty nodded. Thanking him, she watched as he returned to his place behind the counter. Once they were alone, she looked at David. “In other words, it’s going to be like trying to find a needle in a haystack.”

“Maybe, but you have to keep in mind that there are a lot of immigrants here and many may not wish to be reminded of what once was in their homeland. Since coming to America, Franz has had to contend with prejudices of those who still think that the Germans are our enemies. The truth is, West Germany has made a great deal of progress since the war ended.”

“I’m not doubting that,” she said, but instead of dwelling on this, she opted to changing the subject. “Are there a lot of immigrants here?”

“Yes, there are, a great many Asians, and even quite a few Russians. If you go up to Brighton Beach, you will meet more Russians than Americans. They have wonderful restaurants and you can order all sorts of great foods like borscht, peroshkie, pelmini, and other native dishes. All the signs are in the Cyrillic alphabet and you can even hear the language being spoken as though you are walking through the streets of Moscow or Leningrad. When I stop and think about it, I suppose one could say that it’s rather like stepping into another world.”

“Sounds interesting,” she said, and it really did. This was definitely something appealing about that, which she would have never seen the likes of in Jenkinsville. Although she was ready to give up on finding Anton still in America, she was glad that she had taken the risk and made this trip anyway.

Her thoughts shifted to the prospect of visiting some of the Russian culture since her father’s family came over from Russia.

“So, what about you?” He asked, thus breaking into her contemplations.

“What do you mean?” She asked as she raised her head.

“Have you ever had any culinary experiences that you wish to share?” He asked.

“Well, actually, the closest that I have ever gotten to that are some of the cultural dishes that my grandmother used to make. Knishes were my favorite as a little girl, and she would make them for us whenever my parents, sister, and I would go and visit them in Memphis. We had matzo balls and all sorts of wonderful things during those times, but the only thing I ever learned how to cook up was a ton of trouble.” She smiled despite herself.

“Knishes and matzo balls?” He asked as he looked over at her. “Are you Jewish, too?”

Patty took a deep breath, but with it still stuck in her throat, she nodded.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a note about these chapters, I have opted to not make mention of Patty's accent or manner of speaking for the simple reason that I want her to encounter people who don't ask about her past or where she's from. I felt, at the time of writing this, that the whole 'accent' issue was irrelevant.

**Chapter 4**

Taking a deep breath, David looked over at her. “Why are you so hesitant about admitting it?” He asked just before taking a bite of his sandwich. As he was chewing, he waited for her to respond, but what he saw were traces of uncertainty that seemed to encase her. She was simply sitting and staring down at her food.

The overwhelming thought that Patty seemed to carry was fear; fear that her new acquaintance might judge her harshly if she were to have confessed the details of her past. What would she do if he resorted to calling her a ‘Jewish Traitor’?

Insecurity suddenly attacked her mind and literally left her thoughts reeling. Trying to keep these at bay, she managed to take a small bite of her sandwich. As she tried to swallow the bite, she could somehow feel herself literally trying to choke the food down.

Taking a deep breath, she eventually raised her head and looked at him. “There’s still intolerance,” she offered meekly before quickly looking away. She wondered what he was going to say in response to this. After all, she had not really encountered such things since having left Jenkinsville.

Before, she had endured the endless preaching and hypocritical words from Edna Louise Jackson as well as the other girls in her class. Trying to block their judgmental words from her conscience, Patty eventually managed to divert her focus back to the conversation that she was having with David.

As she turned and looked at him, her mouth almost fell open when she noticed that he was nodding his head as though she had just professed to being the smartest person on the planet.

“You’re quite right, Patty,” he eventually said. She found herself, instead of focusing on his words, watching as his curly hair bobbed about with the movement of his head. Not noticing that she was staring, he continued. “It is my opinion that it did not just happen in Germany.” He pulled up the sleeve of his jacket and there, on his upper arm, was a jagged and ugly scar present. “You see this scar?”

Patty stared, but nodded, her mouth half opened. She wanted to ask what it was, or what it signified, but she figured that he would be explaining soon enough. It was strange, that while she had heard intolerant words directed at Jews back home, she never expected to see that it carried physical or lasting ramifications.

_I must be either naïve or stupid_ , she thought cynically as silence hung over the table. Eventually she found her voice. “David?” She spoke his name, the single word somehow caught in her throat. It was clear that she was not certain as to how to address this. Perhaps what it meant was that they had managed to cross the bridge from being mere acquaintances to now being friends.

_Just like Anton,_ she thought sadly. That happened in her father’s store, she recalled, the first time they laughed together. That one instance had clinched it. Could it have been this easy with someone like David as well?

Focusing her attention back to their dialogue, her next question emerged. “How did you get that?” She managed to ask, the question literally dangling in the air like a pendulum.

Instead of evading the issue as she had often been guilty of doing, David offered her an honest response. “They called it a prank back when I was in school. They said that it was a joke, although I must admit that such jokes are usually done with very poor or ill-gotten intentions.” He pulled the sleeve of his jacket back down and the scar disappeared beneath the folds of fabric. “I went to a school that was predominantly Christian, and I was one of four Jewish kids in attendance. I did not feel myself too terribly inclined to go and disclose my religious affiliations there, but the other students eventually figured it out anyway.”

“How?” She asked.

“I would guess that they deduced it from the letter that my parents sent asking if the food in the cafeteria was kosher.” He took a deep breath. “Back then, the thought of fitting in was the most important, so I tried doing that, but failed. I wasn’t ashamed because I am what I am, but the long and the short of all of this is that it does not just happen in one corner of the world. This does not mean that I would want to travel to Germany or that we should ever forget what happened over there. In all honesty, I don’t think we’ll ever forget. I simply know that hate and intolerance comes in all shapes and sizes, and not just from those who speak German. I know that in a way this sounds like I’m behaving as an idealist would. I simply think that people should do whatever they can to make things a little bit better for everyone, not just a select few.”

“I think you’re right, but it’s still a very lonely existence,” Patty said as she remembered all the summers that she had spent alone because she was Jewish in a town full of Christians. “To be the only one of your kind in a place and to not have other people understand you is no fun. Sometimes it can be very difficult.”

“Yes,” David affirmed. “But, you know the trick to all of this is to overcome it and not care. No one here knows what I think about religious stuff anymore, and frankly, they don’t need to. The point is, the people who do matter, will not care. At the same instance, they will never really know everything there is to know about another person. Use that to your advantage. Let them know what is on the surface, but unless you really trust them, never let them see what lies beyond that. The people here know that I’m a playwright and aside from that, they know nothing about me.”

“Just as I’m a reporter,” Patty said as she ate the last bite of her sandwich. “It’s strange how you make it sound so easy.”

“In some ways it is easy, but in others, it’s not. Perhaps it is easier for me because I try not to dwell too much on the past,” he said with a casual shrug of his shoulders.

Patty watched as David finished his sandwich. “That was probably the best sandwich I’ve ever eaten,” she said, thus opting to change the subject. After having eaten something, it seemed overtly clear that she was now feeling a good deal better.

She watched as David picked up his notebook and opened it. Leaning over, he began to write something and she took a deep breath before leaning towards him. “What are you writing?”

“That line you said a little while ago about only being able to cook up trouble,” he said. “I was thinking about that and concluded that it would be a cute line for one of my characters to say. Sometimes, it’s the simplest things that enable me to find the greatest ideas for my stories and plays. At any rate, I do hope you don’t mind my using it.”

Shrugging her shoulders she spoke. “Not at all,” she said. “Even though it’s true, it’s probably not a very effective phrase for a reporter to use anyway.” She watched as he continued writing, the soft sounds of his pen scratching against the page.

Casting a glance around the café, she noticed that two other people had come in and were standing at the counter contemplating what to eat. Usually at this time, I would be at the apartment with Melanie and listening while she complains incessantly about the people she is stuck working with, Patty thought with a slight smile. Sitting in the small German delicatessen in New York City was a far cry better than being unemployed back in Atlanta.

Yet, the thought of going halfway around the world was still rather daunting to her. It felt rather like jumping off a cliff and hoping that the parachute was going to open.

Taking a deep breath, her thoughts continued to drift as she contemplated the prospect of trying to find a man who was more or less a stranger to her. Would he even recognize me? She asked herself. Would he even care?

“What am I doing?” She muttered under her breath, all the while thinking that she was still contemplating all of these things non-verbally.

“I beg your pardon?” The voice of her companion emerged.

Abruptly, she opened her eyes to see that David was now seated upright and regarding her through concerned blue eyes. The pen he had been using was returned to the pocket of his shirt and the notebook once more concealed in the folds of his trench coat. “Patty, is everything alright?” He asked, his voice soft, but laced with what could only be described as brotherly concern.

“I didn’t say anything,” she managed.

“Oh, but I distinctly heard you ask what you were doing,” he said as he got up and took the two empty bottles over to the counter and returned them to Franz. Returning to the table once again, he offered a cordial smile. “We should get going, Franz does not have a lot of space for his customers and the evening rush is about to start.”

Patty nodded but got up and started to follow him towards the door. Both waved to Franz before departing. Soon the sweet smells of pastries and bread faded away to reveal the odor of car exhaust and dank air.

“We should get you back to your room before the bottom falls out,” he said casting a glance towards the now overcast sky. “I would guess that you’re kind of tired and in need of some sleep anyway before tomorrow when you start your ‘Manhattan tour in two days’ excursion.”

Nodding, she started to follow him back in the direction that they had come. This time, instead of walking slow and casually, their footsteps were much quicker.

~~~~~

After about ten minutes of walking, they reached the gray colored building where she would be lodging. As they approached the door that would lead inside, Patty turned and looked at him. “Thank you for all your help, David. I really do appreciate it.”

“My pleasure,” he smiled. “If you would like, perhaps we could meet tomorrow morning and go to the Goethe Institute and you can inquire about your friend. Since you seemed to like the idea of checking it out anyway, it might not be a bad option for you. We could also stop at Kathy’s parents’ restaurant out at Brighton Beach for lunch. They have really great borscht there.”

“It sounds great, but what exactly is borscht?” she asked.

“Beet soup,” he said. “You like beets?”

“Yes, but it’s been awhile since I actually had them,” she nodded. “It sounds great, though, and it would be nice to have someone who knows their way around to help me navigate the city.”

“Well, then it’s settled, I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said with a nod. “Is nine a good time for you?”

She nodded.

“Great, see you then,” he said.

“Bye,” she said casually before opening the door that led into the building.

Turning back around, she watched as he started to walk away. When he turned back around, she offered a casual wave. Once he had reciprocated the gesture, she entered the building and allowed the door to close behind her.

Making her way down the now empty hallway, she could see from the window at the end of the corridor that it had started raining. She had made it back and managed to stay dry, but poor David would no doubt look like a drowned rat by the time he had made it home.

Reaching the door to her very small sized room, she retrieved her key and unlocked the door. Once the lock had clicked, she silently entered the room and closed the door behind her.

It was there where she began to take in the rest of the room. There was not much for her to see, a twin sized bed, a desk and a radio made up the entire room. Two doors were on the far wall, one to a tiny closet and the other to a lavatory and sink.

Walking over to the radio, she turned it on, or better said, she simply increased the volume until the soft swells of jazz music filled her ears. The familiar sounds of Papa Celestin seemed to be the only thing that was playing. Not being a huge jazz fan, she started to look around for a knob that would enable one to switch the station, but finding nothing of the sort, she turned the volume back down until the music faded.

Patty seated herself on the bed, the mattress very hard, but a welcomed luxury after having slept in her seat on the train the night before.

Her suitcase was still lying across the bed, so she leaned over, slowly opened it, and began to scavenge around for her pajamas. Finding them, she laid them on the bed and fumbled with the latch to her necklace and removed it before placing it in the side pocket of her suitcase.

Next she dug in the small envelope where her money was kept, and searched for a dime. The woman who had helped her with checking in had informed her that the use of the shower as well as the use of a towel would cost ten cents. After traveling for two days in the same clothes, she felt dirty and decided that a shower was just what she needed, and seemed a better option than walking outside and getting soaked with rain water.

It was really good that she had eaten, she thought, because the sky outside seemed to have completely opened up during the course of the last ten minutes. For a split second, her thoughts shifted back to David Lowery. He was the first stranger she had met who had gone out of his way to be nice to her in this strange city. She recalled the events with the woman’s harsh words just after she had gotten off the train and concluded that rudeness seemed to be the norm as opposed to the exception in this strange place.

Her new friend, because he had been so nice, was probably the next candidate for pneumonia, she thought sadly. Grabbing the things she would need for the shower, she went over to the door and stepped out into the hallway.

Closing it behind her, she made her way down the hall towards the large showering room. Tomorrow would come quickly enough, and at that moment, she was only interested in two things; a shower and sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Patty opened her eyes the following morning. The sky was still dark, but dawn was just starting to show over the horizon. Although it was hard to see anything beyond buildings from her window, the stars had faded and were now replaced with the dull hues of dawn.

She looked around for a clock, but finding none, she turned up the volume on the radio and heard the soft sounds of music filling her ears. Just the time, she willed the radio, but this seemed rather silly as it was still in the middle of a song. At that moment, she felt too bleary-eyed to actually go and find her watch to check the time.

Eventually, however, she had managed just that and she groaned when she discovered that it read that it was just after six in the morning. No one in their right mind would be up at this hour, she thought. Of course, that thought was soon dispelled when the peal of a distant car horn filtered in through the room. Okay the New Yorkers are up, but they seemed as though they never slept. At least that was what David had called it, ‘the city that never sleeps’.

Pulling the pillow over her head, she tried without any semblance of success at going back to sleep. Giving up, she crawled out of bed and went into the small bathroom to splash some cold water on her face. Breakfast would not start until seven, so that gave her an hour to dress, rake a comb through her hair, and make her bed.

Returning to the main part of her room, she went over and seated herself on the bed, her legs, she pulled up underneath the weight of her body. It would take less than thirty minutes to get dressed and tidy up her room.

According to the dialogue with the receptionist the day before, this was not a typical hotel. She was responsible for cleaning up after herself, and all garbage would have to be taken out of her room and deposited in the basement before checking out.

Sitting there, her thoughts soon drifted back to her dialogue with David the day before. She had made that silly comment about how he made everything sound so easy. Yet, somewhere inside of her, she knew that, even for him, it was anything but easy.

In fact, what she felt was that even after six years having passed since graduating from Jenkinsville High School, accepting who and what she was, was the hardest challenge she could even imagine. It was no secret, she was constantly being haunted by the events of the past. For the most part, she could accept her fallacies, but it still surprised her how someone like David, who carried the reminder of hate and malice around with him, could. How in the world was he able to look at things in this way?

Maybe it was because he was older and the loneliness of his childhood was much further away from him than hers had been. After all, he had close to twenty years to accept those experiences of youth, whereas she only had six. Perhaps this is what made them so vastly different.

Sighing, she laid back down against the pillow and allowed her eyes to close.

~~~~~

When they opened again, it was eight twenty and the sun was now shining through the window into her room. She had fallen asleep and managed to get in another two hours. Now she had only forty minutes to get dressed and have breakfast before David was due to arrive and they were to go to the Goethe Institute and she could begin her search for Anton.

She could not fathom that her search would ultimately start here in New York, but stranger things had happened, and perhaps Anton had been forced to settle here after all. Although Franz’s words the day before had not reaped much hope or optimism for her, Patty was somehow feeling optimistic that going there might not be a bad idea after all.

Crawling off the bed she went over and opened the suitcase. Digging around, she found herself something to put on, a skirt and a button down the front blouse. Getting dressed, she looked down at herself and nodded. She was not completely accustomed to paying very much attention to her appearance, yet for some reason, she felt the necessity in getting used to doing so. If she was lucky enough to find Anton, then she would want him to see her as beautiful, and that meant the added attention.

Smiling slightly, she remembered the unruly appearance that she had had as a teenager. She had been more into the tomboy things back then, throwing rocks at hubcaps or trying to knock empty cans off of fences with Freddy Dowd. In fact, she preferred that to hanging around with girls and learning to use makeup. Perhaps that was why she never really got along with her mother in the first place. It was her abhorrence to all the ruffles and lace that her sister loved, that had done the trick and completely turned her off to them.

“You’re a far cry prettier with makeup than without it,” her mother had often said. Perhaps this was the reason she had shipped her off to Miz Reeves whenever Patty had trouble keeping her hair in some semblance of order. Of course, her sister, Sharon, was just like their mother. She even had Pearl Bergen’s manner right down to the way she made her hair fly about when she tilted her head around.

Patty dearly loved her sister, but sometimes she believed that Sharon was, more or less a marionette to Pearl and Harry Bergen. It saddened her, but it was also well established that the teenage Bergen girl did not seem to mind this attention whatsoever.

She picked up a picture that was still inside the suitcase amidst the socks and undergarments. This was of her and Sharon, the black and whiteness of the photograph starting to yellow with age. It had been taken when Patty graduated from high school. It was strange, but Sharon was, back when Patty was eighteen, just getting ready to turn twelve, the same age she had been when Anton had come into her life.

Would Sharon had done for Anton the same things she had done? She pondered. Perhaps not. In fact, maybe what Patty longed to know was that her actions had been unique, or maybe she was just trying to find a reason for Anton to see her today as someone special or unique.

Tossing the photograph back amidst the objects in the suitcase, she dug for several moments until she found the ring. Anton had given her the ring the night they said good-bye. He had given her his most prized possession and told her that she was a person of value. These were words she had so desperately needed to hear. Once the ring had been placed on her finger, he had kissed her and seconds later, he was gone.

Had she forgotten? Had time and distance made it somehow impossible for her to remember that his words had been the most wonderful she had ever heard?

A light tapping at her door suddenly brought her back to the present, and she went to open it. Standing outside was a woman with braided brown hair. Her crystalline blue eyes sought those of Patty. “Excuse me,” she spoke. “Are you Patty Bergen?”

“Yes.”

“There is a man waiting outside for you, he asked me to see if you were ready,” she said as she ran her hand down the front of the blue dress she wore and she backed away from the door.

“Thank you,” Patty said as she looked down at the watch that was on her arm. It read ten after nine. She had no doubt daydreamed the whole time and now had missed breakfast and was late for her meeting with David.

 _Oh well,_ she thought, _I wasn’t really hungry anyway._

Quickly grabbing what she would need for the day, she threw the suitcase closed and locked it before pulling her purse over her head, and rushing towards the door. As an afterthought, she grabbed her comb and started to rake it one last time through her hair before leaving the room.

 _Patty Bergen,_ she scolded herself, _you are the only person on the planet who could wake up with forty minutes to spare and still be late. It’s no wonder you have not yet managed to find a job in Atlanta._

Taking a deep breath, she raced down the hall in the direction of the door that led her outside.

~~~~~

Unlike the day before, the moment Patty came outside, she could suddenly feel the warmth of the sun as it shone all around her. A gentle breeze was wafting about and she smiled when she could feel the comfortable mixture of warm and cool against her skin. She closed her eyes for a second and simply enjoyed the new sensation. Not too many people knew this, but she dearly enjoyed the overall feel of the wind just after a rain shower. The New York City air was doing her more good at that moment than the ten minute shower had done the night before.

Opening her eyes, she spotted David leaning casually against the wall, the breeze wafting against his curly hair and the sun reflecting off the golden locks. His eyes were half closed, and for a split second, she pondered if she was keeping him from attaining some much needed rest. He looked to be as caught up in daydreams and thoughts as she often was.

She walked slowly over to where he was standing and smiled. “Good morning,” she offered weakly. He opened his eyes as she continued speaking. “Sorry if I kept you waiting.”

“Hi, Patty, I wasn’t here very long,” he smiled as he pushed himself upright and started walking away from the building. “Did you have a good breakfast at least?”

“No, actually I lost track of time and didn’t get to eat anything,” she said honestly. “I guess I had a lot on my mind when I woke up this morning.”

“Let me guess, six o’clock cab drivers honking their horns?” He asked.

“How’d you know?” She asked.

“My cousin once stayed at this place and she said that the food was not all that great and the noise was even worse,” he said. “The Goethe Institute has a small cafeteria though, so if you would like, we can stop there and you can grab something to eat.”

“No, it’s too early for me to eat anything right now,” she said, but did not add that she was too nervous to eat. Her concerns seemed to be centered on what she would find out once they got there. Maybe Anton’s gotten married and has a houseful of children who bear his shining blue eyes and dark blonde hair, she pondered for the umpteenth time since leaving Atlanta.

As these uncertainties filled her, she pondered whether or not this place would actually lead her to Anton. Perhaps this was all simply a flight into the fantasy that was leading her there in the first place. She was not quite certain at this point, but it was better to pacify her curiosity now as opposed to sitting around saying ‘if only I had done this when I had the chance’.

Instead of allowing herself to sink too far into her contemplations, she continued speaking as her shoulders unconsciously offered a casual shrug. “Besides, everyone back home says I eat like a bird anyway.”

David nodded. “Well, if you need to stop and have something, then just say the word.”

“OK, so how far is it to where we’re going?” She asked.

“About ten blocks west of here, but the blocks are small, so it should only take us about ten minutes to get there. With the traffic here, we’re faster walking than taking a cab anyway,” he said. As if to emphasize his point, an impatient driver started to honk incessantly, and he pointed to the yellow colored taxi cab that was doing the honking. “See? I rest my case.”

“Perhaps you should have asked if I had ‘heard’ that, and then the answer would be ‘yes, I did’,” she smiled as they walked.

The two of them sunk into companionable silence at that moment, but they continued to walk in the direction that David had indicated.

After the allotted time, they reached the building that housed the famous German cultural institution and Patty looked up at the building. “So this is where we are going?” She asked feeling the intimidation filling her at actually having to walk into a structure of this magnitude.

“Yes,” David said as he led her towards the high transparent door that led into the glass encased structure.

“Is the entire building owned by the Goethe Institute?” She asked curiously.

“No, there are other offices here for small scale companies and places of business. Most places can’t afford the high rents here, so they split it up or buy office space where needed.” David said. “At least that’s what Kathy’s brother, Mike, said. Since they were both born in New York, I figured that they had the inside track on all this stuff. Me, I don’t know much about the business end of things, I just write plays and focus my attention on Broadway.”

Patty nodded and followed him. The building was frightfully large, and looked rather daunting to a girl who was originally from small town America. This one building could have probably swallowed the entire town of Jenkinsville in one single bite. She remembered the large buildings of Atlanta, but these structures seemed to be more or less the big, hungry brothers to even those.

They passed through a tiled entrance way until they reached a second glass door with the markings of the institute’s logo across it. Through the door, she could see the inner sanctums of the room, but taking a deep breath, she waited for David to open the door and usher her inside. Taking a deep breath she walked with him through the spacious waiting area. At the end of several large groups of tables and chairs, she saw a desk where a woman was seated in a high office chair and was dividing her time between desk work and waiting on people.

Even from sitting in the chair, Patty could tell that the woman was considerably taller than she. Physically, the woman had long blonde hair that was swept up in what looked to be a mixture between braids and a ponytail. Green eyes met hers as they approached the desk. “All that she’s missing is a dirndl and several steins of beer,” David leaned over and whispered.

Without warning, Patty felt the giggles emerging from between her suppressed lips, but somehow, as they arrived at the desk, she had managed to get her laughter under some sort of control.

Instead of showing any sign of disdain or annoyance at Patty’s outburst, the woman spoke, her voice emerging in a slight German accent. “Hello, my name is Hildegard, can I be of assistance to you?” She spoke, her voice somewhat lilted, thus giving Patty the impression that she spoke far better English than Franz did.

“Yes,” David said when Patty could not find the words to speak. “My friend, Patty, is trying to find out if a friend of hers is registered and living in New York City.”

“I see,” the blonde said smiling. “What is your friend’s name?”

“Frederick Anton Reiker,” Patty said without hesitation.

~~~~~

As the name filled the air, neither Patty nor David noticed that a dark headed woman had emerged from one of the offices. Upon hearing the young woman reeling off the name, she stopped abruptly, a look of surprise suddenly crossing her face.

 _The world is indeed a village,_ she thought to herself as a trace of a smile replaced the surprise. Wordlessly, she inched her way closer and listened as the young woman was speaking with her colleague. _This is amazing,_ her thoughts continued as she brushed her hand through her hair. Instead of approaching the young woman or her escort, as she somehow felt herself inclined to do, she simply listened to their conversation.

“We have no listing of a Frederick Anton Reiker here, but we do have about fifteen listings with the surname Reiker in the city.” the colleague was saying. “What I can do is give you the number for each one.”

“No, that won’t be necessary,” the customer said softly. “After all, if there’s no exact listing, then I probably don’t have the time to go through them before the ship leaves for Hamburg.” She turned to her escort and continued. “Besides that, I’ve already arranged my passage to Germany, so maybe I’ll be lucky and find him there.”

“If you are going to Germany, perhaps I might interest you in a language class or a dictionary,” Hildegard offered.

“Maybe a dictionary,” she said, her voice laced in obvious disappointment. “Since the ship leaves tomorrow night, I won’t have time to learn much in a class.”

“Fine, fine, the dictionary costs a dollar twenty-five,” Hildegard said as Patty dug in the pocket of her sweater and pulled out the amount.

As Hannah continued to take in the attributes of the young woman and her friend, her eyes began to shine. She watched as they were handed a dictionary before leaving the counter and returning out the door in which they had come. As soon as the glass door had closed behind them, she made her way slowly over to the desk where Hildegard was still seated.

“Who was that young woman?” She asked. “Did she leave a name?”

“No, but her friend called her ‘Patty’, perhaps short for Patricia,” Hildegard offered.

“Patty…P.B.,” Hannah whispered under her breath. “Hildegard, if that girl comes back, would you give her my number and tell her to call me?”

“Why?” The blonde headed woman asked.

“Because, as ironic as it may sound, she’s looking for my older brother,” Hannah said softly. “As soon as she said his name, I somehow knew immediately who she was. She’s the American girl who protected him during the war. That’s got to be her, it can’t just be some stranger off the street. I mean; she matches the description that Anton gave me, only it was twelve years ago, but she has the same hair color that he described.”

“Why didn’t you address her if you knew who she was?” Hildegard asked. “She looked rather sad when I told her I couldn’t help her.”

“I don’t know why,” she said with defeat etched in her words. “Maybe I was just afraid that I might have been wrong or had misinterpreted something. Anton’s English has always been better than mine.”

“What are you going to do now?” Hildegard asked.

“What can I do?” Hannah responded to the question with one of her own. “Perhaps I ought to try and secure myself a cabin on the ship and go back home.”

“Are you certain you want to do that?” Hildegard asked. “Your green card application is still under consideration.”

“At this point, I’m more certain than I have ever been about anything in my life. That girl saved my brother’s life, and now she’s trying to find him and she won’t be able to unless she gets a little bit of help,” she said sighing. “Sometimes one just has to take a chance and hope for the best. Maybe that’s what’s she trying to do in all of this.”

“Well, if this girl is really who you think she is, then perhaps you ought to call your brother and at least tell him that she is on her way,” Hildegard said. “I would bet that he would be wanting to be at the docks for you both when you return. I wish I could be there, because something tells me that if this is anything like you are surmising, then it could very easily be the reunion of the century.” She smiled as her voice somehow took on an overwhelmingly romantic cadence.

Hannah nodded. “I just hope that I’m right and that this is the girl. But, my intuition is telling me that it is. Since that’s the case, then perhaps I should heed it without question.”

“So you’re just going to leave?” Hildegard asked.

Hannah cast a glance over towards the front door. “If she does not return, then I have a full day and a half to get things settled here.”

With a new sense of determination, she returned to her small office cubicle and picked up the phone.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

At that moment, Dr. Frederick Anton Reiker was closing his practice for the day. As he exited the office, his eyes were staring at the lock on the glass door leading into his general practitioner’s office. The only person who seemed to be left there was his receptionist, Mrs. Yvonne Schröder. He did not concern himself with her as she had a key and was known to work long hours anyway.

He worked in a practice with another doctor, a fellow named Holgar Jensen whom he had attended medical school with. Dr. Jensen was presently on vacation with his family. This happened every year at this time, and Anton would have to step in and take the patient load of his colleague and friend. It was during this time when Anton felt as though he was being reminded of just how alone he was.

Of course, he had dated off and on since his return home, but none of the relationships really clicked for him. The women he met would discover that he was a doctor and immediately think that he had a six-digit income and a bank account in Switzerland. Contrary to his career success, the former Prisoner of War was not particularly happy with his life.

He had, as opposed to staying in Göttingen, relocated to Hildesheim, a town about a hundred kilometers north of his home town and according to his mother, at the other end of civilization. The town was much quieter than that of his birthplace. His friend Holgar was born here, so that made it easier for Anton to relocate when Holgar made the offer of a combined practice.

It was no secret, he was tired and ripe for a holiday. It had really been a trying day for him with patients coming and going as though emerging through a revolving door. On top of that, there was crying children, and loud drilling being done just outside his office window. This left him with a massive headache and yet, all he could think about was the fact that in three more days, he would be on holiday, and would have two glorious weeks so that he could drive to Büsum and make a holiday on the coast of the North Sea. There, he would be able to immerse himself in a German translation of the works of Ralph Waldo Emerson, his favorite American writer.

A contented sigh emerged from between his lips as he walked across the marketplace towards the underground garage where his car was parked. Three more days, his thoughts continued to reel about, and I will not have to so much as look at a syringe.

Now that the war was finally over, Anton knew that he could do anything he wanted, go anywhere and enjoy all that there was to enjoy. One thing was a given, he would never again take his freedom for granted. Perhaps those who did had never been confined to a prison stall or forced to pick cotton in the formidable Arkansas sun.

The sun was still pretty high in the sky on that day, thus depicting the warm, but moist weather they had been having. Germany was generally beautiful during this time of year, the trees and the blossoms somehow filling the air with the fragrance of honeysuckle and freshly mowed grass.

As his grayish blue colored eyes took in the sky, he smiled slightly. The storm clouds that had covered the town that morning had given way to sunshine. It had been raining off an on for the last three or four weeks. He went over to a small bench and sat down, all the while digging in his jacket pocket for his keys as his thoughts continued to drift.

After a somewhat treacherous return from North America, he managed to get into Canada undetected. Through his linguistic skills, he managed to obtain a low-paying job and over the course of several years, had earned his passage back home. He had lived on his own, dodging the American authorities for several months after leaving the ‘hideout’. How he managed without getting shot was nothing short of a miracle.

In Canada, he discovered a newfound feeling of peace as well as some semblance of security and safety that had been denied him during those tremulous months in the United States.

For several months after his arrival in Canada, he lived on the streets of Toronto scrounging for food and eating in soup kitchens. It reminded him vaguely of the food he had in basic training when he became a private in the German army. At least there, he did not have to peel potatoes.

During the several months of homelessness, he lost close to twenty kilograms, which for someone of his build and physique was the kiss of death. He had been extremely malnourished and half starving when he eventually found empathy with an elderly couple who gave him food and shelter in an attic room of their house. He remained there until the war had ended.

As the years passed with him living in a small single room dwelling, the former POW started to get his strength and weight back. He was no longer sick and malnourished, instead, he had become quite strong. He learned how to work with wood and spent his afternoons with his host who thoroughly enjoyed fishing and other outdoor activities.

He remembered the day when he had departed for home. This had been one of the most bittersweet days of his life, paralleling with that night when he had left the safety of shelter that Patty had given him. While he had grown to love his hosts dearly, he knew that it was time for him to return home to the family he had left behind when the war had started in the first place.

After a teary good-bye, he boarded the ship that would take him back to the war-torn homeland he had left behind. Returning to Göttingen and seeing his parents and Hannah was the greatest blessings he could have imagined. Yet, while he was thrilled about being home, one thing was incurably missing as well as haunting his life.

For all that he had endured and all the hardships he had overcome, he desperately missed the person whom he believed had made it possible for him. That was the lonely twelve-year-old girl who had hidden him above an old garage behind her family’s home in Arkansas.

Today, Anton was well in his thirties, still single and living rather well on his doctor’s wages. His flat was quite a bit larger than the home he had had in Canada, but now it was not just for him, it was also the residence of a rather mischievous tiger striped cat he called, Minka.

Quite often, Anton contemplated that the nicest thing about having a cat was the fact that animals somehow provided the nurturing that his weary soul needed. In fact, he had rescued that particular cat from the Göttingen animal shelter before moving to Hildesheim.

He had adopted Minka during a moment of desperation. His parents had been away on holiday at the time. This was also just after his younger sister, Hannah, had literally dropped a bombshell when she decided to depart for New York City to work as a German language tutor at the Goethe Institute.

Hannah was now 31, and although he had initially panicked at the prospect of one of his family going to America, he had contemplated the very same thing as well. He wanted to return there and search for Patricia Bergen. Of course, America was a very big place and finding her would perhaps be a far cry more difficult than his months of living on the run. He could not fathom her having stayed in Jenkinsville, in fact, that notion was preposterous at best.

At the same time, somewhere in the recesses of his mind, Anton wondered if Patty would even remember what she had done for him. Time tends to make people forget, he often rationalized with himself. Of course, he could never forgot her. The tree he had planted on the border of his grandparent’s house bore her name, and reminded him almost every single day of the sacrifices that the preteen girl had made for him.

In all his life, he knew that he would never forget the courage and compassion of the girl who was barely a teenager at the time their paths had miraculously crossed. He still carried a memory of her that had somehow stretched beyond their physical ages. Of course, he still did not stop calculating how old she was, contrary to the time that had passed since that night he had left her.

She was now an adult.

Since he did not know her date of birth, he decided to celebrate her passing of years on his own birthday, July 23. He was now thirty-four-years-old and guessed that she was a good ten years his junior, since she had been twelve that fateful summer and he had been twenty-two.

When speaking of her, he rarely referred to her by her given name, in fact, in casual conversation, whenever she was mentioned, he would refer to her as ‘P.B.’. Hannah and their other friends eventually figured out that whenever he spoke of ‘P.B.’, then the initials had become synonymous with the person he also dubbed as ‘meine Heldin’ _(my heroine)_.

Getting up, he continued to walk towards the garage. Entering, he soon reached his green Opel Olympia Rekord, and shifting the keys around, he stuck one in the lock and turned it. As soon as the lock clicked, he opened the door.

Just as he was about to climb in, his receptionist came running over to him, her voice calling out to him and her arms waving about frantically. “Dr. Reiker?” She called out his name. He stopped what he was doing immediately and turned to face her.

“Yes, Mrs. Schröder?” He spoke, but waited for her to reach him. It must be important, otherwise she would not be making such a commotion, he thought.

“Dr. Reiker, your sister is on the phone, she’s calling from America and says that it is very urgent that she speak with you immediately,” the older woman said.

“She wouldn’t be calling the practice if it wasn’t important,” Anton muttered under his breath, but despite his exhaustion, he nodded. Relocking the car door, he started to follow the woman out of the parking garage and back in the direction he had come.

“Tell me, did you run all this way to catch up with and tell me that Hannah was calling?” He asked, his voice laced in curious undertones.

Mrs. Schröder shrugged her shoulders, but offered him a slight nod. “She said it was important and generally when someone sounds as flustered as she did, then I can imagine that the reason for her call was rather urgent in scope.”

“Then we must hurry, it is costly to call from America, even if the Goethe Institute is footing the bill,” he said as he quickened his pace. Within seconds, he had found himself back inside the building.

Following his receptionist, he reached his office and the phone in record time.

~~~~~

The moment Anton picked up the phone, there was a voice resonating deep inside of him that knew that something was about to happen. Swallowing, he spoke, his voice laced in the same exhaustion he felt.

“Hello, Hannah.”

“Anton?” the familiar voice emerged as an immeasurable sigh of relief.

“What is it?” He asked. “Are you alright?”

The tone of his voice gave him away. He loved his sister dearly and whenever she sounded this way, he always grew concerned. Yes, it was true he never had time for her when they were younger, but today, as adults, he always made time for her. He knew after his life experiences that no matter was too pressing for his little sister.

“Thank God I was able to catch you before you left,” Hannah’s flustered voice emerged from the other end of the line. “Something happened here today that you need to know about.”

“Alright,” he began, all the while knowing that he would have to draw this information out of her as though sipping soda water through a straw. “Just take a deep breath and tell me what happened.”

“I don’t know where to start,” she began.

“Well, you’d better start soon, the price for calling from there to here is not cheap,” he smiled slightly, his expression filled with mischief as he teased his sister.

“Anton, what can you tell me about P.B.?” As her question emerged, he could tell that her voice sounded much softer than even she anticipated.

“Nothing much, I told you and our parents everything about her when I returned home. Why do you ask?” He wanted to know. To Anton, even after all these years, Patty was sensitive subject for him. At that moment, he was not quite certain if anything Hannah had to say could link back to the person he had met in Jenkinsville. After all, Hannah’s work seemed to be rather far removed from the friendship he shared with Patty.

Instead of commenting on this, he merely waited for his sister to speak.

“A young woman came into the institute office about ten minutes ago and she spoke for several minutes with Hildegard Bachmann.”

Anton nodded. He had heard of Hannah’s colleague. She hailed from Munich and was perhaps the tallest woman he had ever seen. He had only met her briefly last Christmas when Hannah was passing through town. This was during the time when his sister was trying to get the last of her paper work processed so that she could legally work in America. He was not quite certain as to whether or not Hildegard even knew his name, much less that he was Hannah’s brother.

“So what happened?” He pressed, all the while knowing that he would have to literally pry the answers out of her.

“T-this girl,” Hannah stammered. “Anton, will you promise not to get mad at me?”

Anton chuckled. It was during moments like these where he thought that his sister sounded remotely like a child as opposed to that of a grown woman. “Just tell me, I won’t get upset.”

“I should have done more than I did, I know that now, but I was somewhat surprised when Hildegard asked her who she was looking for and the girl said your name. I don’t mean, Anton, like everyone else calls you. She said ‘Frederick Anton Reiker’, just like that. I stood there not knowing what to say or do, and I probably didn’t come out of my shock until after she had gone.”

“And you think that this young woman is P.B.?” He asked softly, but by this time, his face had taken on a white, almost pasty, color.

“Yes,” Hannah said. “I heard her say your name and I don’t mean just the typical means of address either. Her friend said that she was trying to find out if you were residing in New York City or were registered at the institute.”

“Did she leave her name or number with Hildegard?” Anton asked.

“No, but her friend called her ‘Patty’, and Hildegard said that that was perhaps short for Patricia, but I don’t know much else because she didn’t leave a surname.”

“A-are you sure that that could be P.B.?” He asked. “The chances this kind of coincidence are rather remote.”

“I wouldn’t have thought much of it if she hadn’t have said your name,” she said. “Anton, my hearing is perfectly fine, and she did say your name.”

“Perhaps, but maybe she meant another fellow,” Anton said. “Oddly enough, I was almost one hundred percent certain that when I came back home, I would never see her again.”

“But, I am certain. Anton, I know that your English is better than mine, but what if that is the girl who helped you twelve years ago?” Hannah pressed. “I listened in on their conversation and after she left, I told Hildegard that if she comes back that she should call me.”

“You didn’t talk to her directly?” Anton asked.

“I couldn’t find the courage to go up to her, but from what I noticed, she seemed rather disappointed when she left. Something tells me that, regardless of what I told Hildegard about her calling me, this girl will probably not be returning to the institute.”

“Can you tell me anything else?” He asked.

“Nothing, except that she bought a dictionary,” Hannah said. “A translation dictionary, the most expensive one that costs a dollar twenty-five.”

“P.B. used to read dictionaries. She always seemed to have one with her on the days when we had spoken in the hideout. She told me once that she had a word that she used each day and that she read it diligently and learned its meaning. She didn’t concentrate on the words she knew, she learned the harder words of her language through it. For instance, on the day that we met, she said that her word for that day had been ‘fortification’. Hannah, why do you suppose this girl would go and buy such an expensive translation dictionary?”

“Maybe it’s because she’s going board a ship that sails to Hamburg tomorrow night,” Hannah said firmly. “At least that was what she said to Hildegard.”

“If that is P.B., then she’s coming here,” he whispered. “It’s not possible.”

“Maybe it is, I mean; you didn’t have the fortitude to come here looking for her yourself, so maybe she’s decided to come to Germany to look for you instead,” Hannah said matter-of-factly. “Anton, I don’t know how well this is going to work out, but I’m going to try and come back with her. I have a friend who works for the shipping lines, maybe he can pull some strings and put me in contact with her. I mean; if she is P.B., and I’m starting to believe that she is, then I have to do this. I mean; she has no idea that you left Göttingen two years ago.”

“But, she could find me, all she would have to do is go to our parents house,” he said. “She’s smart, Hannah, she would figure it out.”

“No, I have to come back with her, and help her get along. If she doesn’t speak German, then she may feel like a fish out of water,” his sister argued. “I know how that is. Remember, we both did the very same thing, and we’re bilingual. Most Americans aren’t.”

Anton nodded, that bit was true and he knew it. Instead he took a deep breath, but released it very slowly. “What about your life in America, Hannah? What are you going to do about that?” He asked. “I thought you wanted to at least stay there until the internship was over and apply for permanent residency.”

“I know and at one time I thought that was what I wanted, but now I really miss everyone,” Hannah confessed. “After spending almost a year here, I have come to realize that this is not really my home. My home is with you and our family and that will probably never change.”

“You know that we would love to have you come home,” he said sincerely.

“I know, I sort of figured that when I left,” she said. “At least with P.B. possibly being in New York City, I have come to realize that perhaps I’m here for a reason.”

“Somehow, I think you have decided to do this more for me than for yourself,” he said honestly. “I think you’ve already made plenty of sacrifices in that regard, though.”

“My reasons are my business, Anton. And yes, while you are my big brother, it’s my choice, not yours.” Her voice was hard, filled with the same stubborn determination that the rest of their family possessed when it came to overwhelming persistence. Instead of commenting on that, he could hear her continuing on the other end of the line. “Listen, if I can get a cabin with her, then I can find out for certain if she is the same person who helped you. If she helped you when you needed her assistance, then it is the honor of our family to return the favor, is it not?”

“What if it’s not her, and all these things are just coincidence?” Anton asked.

“I don’t know,” Hannah said softly. “I guess we’ll cross that particular bridge when we come to it, won’t we?”

“Hannah, you do realize that if this is not the person, then you will be giving up a vast part of your life to help a stranger,” Anton said.

“And what if she is P.B.?” his sister shot back, her voice an exasperated sigh. “She saved your life, Anton. You said so yourself. If not for her, you would probably be dead.”

Anton took a deep breath. “I know what I said, I just can’t believe it.” He released the breath and rested his elbows on the desk, the telephone still cradled against his ear. “Since I can’t change your mind about this, then let me know when you will be arriving so I can meet you. Mother and Father would be rather upset if you came home and did not have someone to meet you upon your arrival.”

“What are you going to tell them about P.B.?” Hannah asked.

“Nothing since we don’t know if it’s her yet,” he said. “Perhaps it would not exactly be prudent for me to get into that particular discussion with Mother right now since she is still trying effortlessly to get me married off.”

“Maybe you’ll marry P.B.,” Hannah said with a soft giggle.

“Be realistic, Hannah. It’s been over twelve years since I’ve seen her and in that time, she and I have changed and perhaps we have grown apart. If fate outlines that something will happen, then it will. Right now, I do know that I have feelings for her, but they are encased in the memories of her heroism. That may not be enough to send out invites to a wedding just yet.”

“You’re probably right,” Hannah whispered. “She was here with a man, and he looked to be at least fifteen to twenty years older than she.”

“She was with a man?” Anton asked, his eyes widening as his shoulders unconsciously slumped.

“I don’t think there was anything going on between them,” Hannah said logically. “I noticed that he was wearing a promise ring, and she was not. As far as I could see, there were no intense feeling or devotion between them. It looked to be more or less platonic.”

Anton took a deep breath. “Whatever the case, I’ll be driving to Büsum to go on holiday in the coming days. I can imagine that the boat trip from New York to Europe could take about five to six days. I will try and be at the docks when the ship from New York arrives. I’ll even check in Hamburg on the schedule to see what I can find out when specifically the ship is due to arrive. Regardless of what I find out here, try and keep me informed on how things are going.”

“I will, but I could still kick myself for not going up and talking to her when I had the chance,” Hannah said and as though in a lieu of thanks, she continued. “I’m glad you’re not angry with me.”

Anton took a deep breath. “Try not to fret about it, we’ll see each other soon enough and then I will know with absolute certainty if P.B. was who you met or if it was a case of misinterpretation. Perhaps I ought to tell you that her given name is Patricia Ann Bergen so if you do see her again, then you will know if she is the same person I met when I was there.”

“So you called her by her first and last initials?” Hannah whispered.

“Yes, I started calling her that several days after we met,” Anton said. “She seemed to like it, so the nickname remained.”

“You miss her, don’t you?”

“All the time,” he said honestly, his words emerging as a resigned sigh. “I know that it is not logical, but I do think about her every day. I miss her courage, and her kindness.” His eyes closed as he felt a strange mixture of exhaustion and contemplation filling him. After several moments, a new sense of determination filled him as he realized that regardless of what his logic was telling him, he would do whatever he could to find her. His life could not continue until this mystery had been solved.

At that moment, a small smile suddenly curved up the corners of his mouth, and he felt himself welcoming whatever was to come.

~~~~~~

Five minutes later, Anton’s conversation with Hannah had ended and he prepared himself to leave the office. With the phone once more in the cradle, he stood up and made his way outside and back to the garage where his car was parked.

The trip happened quickly. Soon he had reached the vehicle and unlocked the door. Climbing in, he closed the door, and started the motor. The car immediately roared to life and he pulled out of the parking lot. Driving several kilometers, he pulled onto the graveled side of the road and abruptly cut the motor. The sound ceasing and he sat in silence.

For several moments, he sat staring out across the vastness of the meadow. In the distance, he could see his grandfather’s old house rising beyond the trees that lined the valley. The two story structure somehow reminded him of the days of his youth when everything had been simple and comprehensible. This was before the war had happened and before his whole life had been torn apart by a single individual.

Blocking these thoughts from his mind, Anton climbed out, and closed the door before walking slowly in the direction of the house. In route to it, he came upon the small orchard, which acted as a sort of barrier between the house and the road.

It was a beautiful area, one with hilly slopes and freshly mowed grass. The fresh scent of it somehow quieted his senses and left him feeling calmed and soothed contrary to the news his sister had shared.

Glancing back over towards the house he recalled how his father had inherited it upon his grandfather’s passing. He smiled as he recalled Frederick Günter Reiker, the man for whom he had been named after. Anton recalled how the old man’s eyes had been filled with life and adventure. Stories rolled off his tongue like waves crashing from an ocean. As a result of these interwoven tales, Anton had memorized each one. Not only were these stories now a part of him, but his grandfather had also introduced his inquisitive grandson to great American Transcendental writers like Emerson and Thoreau.

‘Opa Günter’ _(Grandpa Günter)_ was the name that Anton had used in addressing him. This man had lived out his years in the service of humanity. This was a fancy way of saying he thrived on helping people. This showed during the war years, when the basement of the house had been used as a safe haven for weary travelers. This man somehow believed that the gifts one chooses to share with their neighbor would ultimately return to them. Today, those words rang truer than anything Anton could have imagined.

‘Unser Leben ist ein Abenteuer’. _(Our life is an adventure)_ , the old man had often said. Anton had committed these words to memory, and at that moment, he felt a deeply rooted honor at being named after that particular man. It was his grandfather’s ring, which he had given to Patty the night he had left. Of course it had been a heirloom that had been passed through his family over time. Now, with Hannah’s news, this ring’s history had somehow come full-circle.

Smiling, he reached the center of the meadow his hand reaching out to touch the uneven bark of one of the trees. The rugged texture of wood somehow reminding him of the chipped paint and uneven wood that covered the outside of the house. He loved the old house, it reminded him of so many aspects of his own life that had been snubbed out during the war years, only to be rekindled that day as he stood, a grown man, on this moist grass.

Turning back around he could see his car, the green colored paintjob of it somehow meshed in with the greenery that now surrounded him.

His thoughts abruptly shifted and he found himself thinking about Patty again. He had celebrated the year she had turned eighteen, as though her becoming an adult somehow signified something for him as well. Yet, he had never once thought that he could romantically be attracted to her, at least not until now.

Yet, through it all, he was not sure if it was even possible. He was determined to keep their friendship from being like two ships passing in the night, but yet, he was not convinced that his younger sister had actually seen Patty Bergen in New York. Of course, he wanted to believe it, but at that moment, he was battling with his logic, which seemed to be at the forefront of his thoughts. This was now arguing against a perceived flight into fancy.

Raising his head, he could see that the tree was now blossoming brand new apples.

His focus shifted to the small hand-carved wooden placard that was stuck in the ground, just to the left of tree. It looked as though it was a marker describing a museum artifact. The engraved writing somehow complemented the tree.

He ran his hand over the uneven surface of the wooden plaque.

This was his tree, the one he had planted for her after returning home.

The war had ended, and yet, the words seemed the only way in which he could honor her. “Will I ever be able to show this to her?” He asked the stillness. “Will I be able to tell her what kind of impact she had on my life.” He looked down at his hand where the cool metal of the ring had always rested. Seeing his barren finger, he released a pent up sigh, all the while acknowledging how there was something poignant in the fact that it was no longer there.

Ignoring the moisture that was now covering the ground, he sat down and stared up at the placard and then the tree. The apples that adorned it were just beginning to turn from greenish yellow to red, and he figured that in the coming weeks, there would be enough of them for him to gather and bring to his parents so that his mother could make strudel from them.

He stood up after several minutes, his hand once again coming to rest on the uneven writing that was on the placard.

After several seconds had passed, Anton took a deep breath and spoke, his soft voice filling the area as the English words emerged.

“She has to remember.”

Backing away from the tree, he could feel the tears catching in his eyes as his whispered words continued. “If what Hannah said was the truth, then Patty must have remembered.”

In the back of his mind however, Frederick Anton Reiker wondered if that was enough.

He started to make his way back over towards the car.

Unlocking it, he climbed behind the wheel, but instead of starting the motor, he simply sat and stared over at the house, his thoughts literally racing.

After what seemed like an eternity, he started the motor and drove the car back in the direction of where he lived. He had thought about driving to Göttingen and trying to talk to his father, but he knew that whatever he discussed with Professor Reiker, would eventually meet the ears of his mother, Deborah.

Perhaps this was something that he would have to contend with on his own.

Taking a deep breath, he exhaled slowly as he reached the building where he lived. Finding a parking place, he parked the car and got out.

~~~~~

Thirty minutes later, Anton finished eating dinner and stood up. “Well Minka,” he spoke, his eyes staring down at the tabby cat that had made itself comfortable in the corner of the room. “There’s no time like the present for me to start getting this place ready for a possible guest.”

The cat cocked its head to one side, but kept its green eyes on Anton as he moved around the small kitchen and cleaned up the remains of his dinner. “You don’t think she’s coming, do you?” He asked after he had finished drying the last of the utensils and had put them away. He started to make his way out of the room and down the hall towards the living room but stopped when the cat sauntered after him and released a small half-meow.

“Now, I know that you have heard me tell of P.B. for the longest time, and I know that my incessant talking about her has made you feel rather bored, but Hannah tells me that she’s coming here. I must infer that that means we’re going to have to get this place into shape for another lady’s occupancy.”

Minka made herself comfortable on the pillow in the corner of the room while Anton chuckled at his cat’s mannerisms. “I wish I could be as relaxed about all of this as you apparently are.”

Instead of remaining on her pillow, however, Minka got up, stretched, and soon found herself jumping up onto his lap.

He took a deep breath, but allowed his hand to drape over the cat’s back, the soft fur brushing against his fingers. His amusement soon gave way to an air of contemplation. “You know, I spent much of my life trying to be an inconspicuous a coward as possible. Now, I’m starting to realize that ever since I came home, I was nothing more than a coward. That one moment when I tried to protect another person, I realized how significant my life truly was. Today, I cannot help but ask myself why it is Patricia Bergen would be making a trip halfway around the world to find a person like me?”

He looked down at his cat, his hand ceasing with the movement. Instead, he sat as still as a statue while listening as the breeze blew up against the window.

When the darkness filled the sky, he started to wonder if when the stars came out if Patty was looking at the same sky as he was. He took a deep breath as he looked down at the cat that was in his lap. “I hope that if she does come, that she will not be too terribly disappointed in what I had become.”

In response to these words, Minka raised her head and tried to nuzzle his cheek. Seconds later, she lowered it once again as they sat in companionable silence.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

At the same time Hannah had been talking with her brother, David and Patty were walking down the street in the direction of the subway. After having left the Goethe Institute, they had stopped off at Times Square so that Patty could buy herself a spiral notebook to take with her on her trip. They then opted to taking a walking tour of the famous sights in Manhattan, one of which was Broadway where a number of plays and musicals were performed.

David spent much of this time pointing out the various theater houses as well as other local places of interest. Of course, having lived there for several years, he knew all of their names as well as a brief history. Finally, he told her about which musicals were playing and which ones he and Kathy had managed to get marked down tickets for.

At the close of their walk, Patty glanced down at her watch and realized that four hours had passed in a whirlwind since meeting David back at the ‘Y’ that morning.

“How would it be if we went to Brighton Beach for lunch?” He asked, thus breaking their prolonged silence.

“That sounds great,” Patty said trying to make herself sound more enthusiastic than she felt. It was clear that she was now forced into finally acknowledging the growling that her stomach was presently doing. She did not want to admit it to herself, but she was now feeling remotely faint from hunger. Basically, she was on her last leg since she had skipped breakfast and even opted to not eating anything at the institute’s cafeteria.

She took a deep breath as a cool breeze wafted against her skin. She realized that she had no choice but to accept the fact that more sightseeing that afternoon would not be happening. It was starting to look as though they were on the cusp of having yet another rain shower. “I thought London and Seattle were the only places known for bad weather,” she mused.

David glanced skyward but noting the clouds, he nodded with a slight chuckle. “We get our share of rain showers here too,” he said. “But, whatever we do, we better decide fast before another cloud burst happens.”

“You were already caught out in one yesterday,” she remarked, but it was abundantly clear that her thoughts were a thousand miles away.

He nodded. “True, and believe me, one can only drink so much hot tea in one day’s time. Kathy just about had a fit when I got back home last night completely drenched.”

“She wasn’t upset that you were helping me, was she?” Patty asked. The last thing she really wanted was to become the object of malice to a scorned fiancé.

“Not hardly, but she knows about you and is anxious to meet you,” he said. “The truth is, she hates the rain and that alone sends her straight back into the ideology that getting wet feet is the kiss of death.”

Patty nodded as the relief washed over her. She liked David a lot, but for the umpteenth time, she was still internally insisting that he was not someone she could like as a boyfriend. Right now she was still monumentally uncertain about the whole ‘boyfriend thing’. If anything, this made her more determined than ever to find Anton. She wanted to know if there stood a chance for them to have a future together.

It was that idea alone that made her see the absurdity in shifting her affections from Anton to an already engaged man. The mere idea would have contorted her existence from a small list of complications into something of more novel proportions.

Her thoughts abruptly shifted back to David who was pointing to the subway entrance. “Right now it would be a good idea for us to get somewhere warm and dry. Sniffles would not be a fun thing to have, especially since you’re going to be getting on a ship tomorrow night. If you get cabin fever on the train, then you could most assuredly get it on a ship. Along with that, a cold would positively be the most miserable thing to have happen.”

“Maybe,” she mused. “I wouldn’t know though, I’ve never been on a ship before.”

“You haven’t?” He asked, his eyebrows bending into a skeptical arch.

“No, I’ve never even been in a paddle boat or canoe,” she said with a shake of her head. Instead of elaborating, she shrugged her shoulders. “There’s not a lot of water where I come from.”

“Land locked in other words,” he mused. “I couldn’t stand the thought of it.”

“You never miss what you’ve never had,” she said as she tried to keep from showing him how nervous the whole thing made her feel. Her next words emerged as a hopeful means of shielding her unconscious fears as well as changing the subject. “I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to show me around.”

Her words emerged weak and unconvincing, but David seemed not to notice.

What a pity that he did not, because now Patty had adequate reason to contemplate her going to Europe by ship in the first place. It was no secret that what she would probably find in Europe was a far cry scarier than the prospect of boarding a ship called the _‘Potomac’. ‘Potomac’…‘Titanic’…_ They all sounded the same to her and right now she was already nervous enough without adding a 1912 disaster to her list of worries.

“It’s no problem, so what do you think of a Russian lunch?” He asked, his question a welcomed reprieve from thoughts of icebergs, drowning, or freezing to death.

Patty offered a slight nod. “Brighton Beach sounds wonderful,” she said trying to maintain some element of enthusiasm at his suggestion.

He nodded as he wordlessly led her towards the entrance leading into the subway. As they descended into a long tunnel, he watched her, all the while not even realizing that her friend, Anton, was fully aware of where she was and what she was trying to do.

After several minutes had passed, they reached the platform to the large underground. Patty immediately walked over and sat down on a bench as David remained standing, his eyes constantly taking in the various facets of the place.

Eventually, he spoke, thus breaking his silence. “I hope you don’t mind a short lunch break.”

“No, it’s fine,” she responded.

“That’s great because I generally try to work on my writing during the late afternoon and early evening hours. I hope you don’t mind if I drop you off at your room after we eat.”

“It’s no problem,” she said half-heartedly, but wordlessly watched as he continued his silent observations.

After several minutes had passed, and not certain she could take anymore bouts of prolonged silence, she raised her head. “So, what’s your latest play about?” She asked. When he did not respond, she realized that he was now pacing about and staring transfixed at various things on the platform. This stance somehow started to make her feel remotely like she was the heroine in an Agatha Christie murder mystery.

Eventually, she raised her head. “David?”

He turned around. “Oh sorry, I was drifting again.”

Patty shrugged her shoulders but repeated her question.

Smiling, David stopped his pacing and looked at her. “It’s a love story, a modern day _Romeo and Juliet_ sort of thing. Basically, it’s about a man who comes from the wrong side of the tracks and how he falls in love with a woman who has been described as an aristocrat of sorts. At any rate, he teaches her about humility and she shows him the finer things in life. Aside from that, I’m sort of stuck on a good plotline. I mean; social snobbery doesn’t get one on Broadway so quickly. I need another angle to get these two characters to realize that they are absolutely perfect for one other.”

“Why don’t you set it during the war and have it test each of their loyalties?” Patty asked somehow not able to contain herself.

“You mean stage it in Europe?” He asked. “Like a French woman and a German man?”

“You could, or you could have it right here in America,” she said. “Believe me, David, there was enough patriotism going on in my hometown during the war that you could come up with a feasible idea for a storyline.”

“It sounds like an idea, but I need more realism for it to work,” he said. “Playwriting is a lot like newspaper writing. In some cases the reality sells.”

_Reality,_ Patty thought ironically. _If I were to write my memoirs, then would that be real enough?_ Instead of shooting that question back at him, she offered a slight shrug of her shoulders as her blunt words emerged. “Maybe, but I always thought that people went to see plays to get away from reality for a little while.”

“You’re a funny one, Patty,” he said with amusement lining his features.

As soon as she heard this, her thoughts once again shifted back to Anton.

Her German friend had said this to her when he was in hiding. It was during the time when they were asking each other all kinds of questions about their lives and families. She could remember it as though it had only happened yesterday. She had asked him about his mother, and how he escaped from the prison camp. Then he came out and asked her why she was helping him.

Today, it was strange for her to hear these very same words emerging from the playwright. It was also quite difficult for her to not to feel a semblance of guilt for being in the New York City Subway and talking about something that was remotely factual as though it had been fabricated.

Anton was real and he was the reason she was doing all of this in the first place. Her conscience argued that he could be dead, although somewhere deep down inside, she did not want to acknowledge that as a possibility. Of course, contrary to her heart telling her that he was alive, the question still remained and thus forced her into emotionally considering it.

As these words somehow began to echo in her mind, the unshed tears once again caught beneath her eyelids as the accusing words continued to ring out like a distant church bell in her mind.

Patty suddenly felt her knees turning to jelly. Here she was laughing and enjoying herself and, yet, it all seemed so unfair. She fought back the tears that were now streaming effortlessly down her cheeks.

Right now she was famished and needed something to eat, but at that moment her mind was whirling about, the sounds of their earlier jokes echoing in her conscience. The words ‘beer’, ‘dirndls’ and ‘plot devices’ seemed to mesh together in her mind. Through that alone, she was left to wonder how long it would be before the train platform would be hugging her exhausted frame.

“Patty?” David’s voice once more emerged, thus halfway breaking into her contemplations. “You look so pale.”

“So tired,” she whispered incoherently.

These words were true, she had only slept off and on while on the train going from Atlanta to New York. The night before did not reap much in the sleep department either as she had been jarred from her sleep that morning with the strange sounds emerging from outside her window. It was abundantly clear that the young woman was more or less sleep deprived.

Patty slowly lowered her head as she continued to contemplate what was happening in her life. Traveling to Germany was indeed like jumping off a mountain and wondering if the parachute was going to open before she hit the ground.

In less than two days, she would be boarding a ship bound for Europe, but now she wished that it could be sooner. The wishes to stay in New York and go to Brighton Beach seemed more or less like a faded aspiration. What she desperately wanted was get on that ship, go to Germany, find Anton, and get all of those unanswered questions resolved. Through that discovery, she would somehow know that she could continue living out the rest of her life with some semblance of normalcy.

“Anton…” she whispered his name as a soft plea while the world continued to spin out of her control. As the bland colors of the platform meshed together in a concoction of what resembled pea soup, her eyes rolled to the back of her head and no further words emerged. Instead, she allowed herself to slip off the bench and let the ground cradle her weary body.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

When Patty wearily opened her eyes, she blinked several times before sitting up.

The first thing she noticed was that she was not back in her room at the ‘Y’, instead, she was sitting on a tattered sofa in a darkened room. The blinds had been lowered, but around their corners, she could still see the outline of daylight that was visible.

She looked at her lap and noticed that a multi-colored patchwork quilt covered her body, and a pillow was at the head of the sofa. She returned to her reclined position as a stranger’s voice suddenly filled her ears.

“Hello,” the single word emerged and she sat up and saw a woman standing over her, a cup in her hand, her dress a mix matched plethora of colors and fabrics. Her hair was long and auburn color and tied back with a rubber band. Her green eyes, hidden behind thick rimmed glasses met Patty’s, but a warm smile graced her lips as her next words emerged.

“Well, it looks like ‘Spalshnaya Krasavitsa’ has finally come around,” she said boldly as she pressed a chipped coffee cup into Patty’s hand.

“I’m sorry?” Patty asked, wondering what the words the woman had spoken meant. No doubt it was a foreign language, but which one? Reluctantly she accepted the cup, all the while feeling as though she had run head first into a brick wall.

“That’s Russian for ‘Sleeping Beauty’,” the woman said.

Patty nodded as though wanting to say oh, but nothing emerged. She stared down at the cup that was now in her hand, but took a deep breath. “Where am I?”

“First drink this, ‘Beauty’, and then I’ll explain everything.”

“What is it?” She asked.

“It’s coffee. It may taste like mud to you, but it should do the trick in helping you to wake up,” the woman said firmly. “It’s an old family recipe.”

Patty nodded and obediently took a sip. A small taste was all she could handle as the woman had been right, the substance inside really did taste terrible. In fact, it was even worse. Although it did taste remotely like mud, it carried a strange aftertaste of brown sugar and cinnamon flavorings. She unconsciously cringed before quickly returning it to the table and shaking her head as though attempting to get rid of the horrible taste.

“Now then, Dave said that your name is Patty, is that right?” She asked.

“Yes,” she nodded.

“My name is Ekaterina, or Kathy, whatever you prefer. I’m Dave’s fiancé,” she said casually. “Now you have nothing to worry about, sweetie. You’re at our apartment now. Dave carried you here this afternoon, said you had passed out in the middle of the station. He went on to say that he felt sort of responsible, as you were unconscious. I thought we might have to call a doctor to come and take care of you.”

“I’m fine, well aside from this headache,” Patty said. “But where is David?”

“Oh right now he’s working,” she said with a casual wave of her hand. “He said you went and gave him some inspiration just before you kissed the pavement. Anyway, he came in, laid you on the sofa, and retreated to his study. I told him that I’d see to your needs while he’s been working,” she said casually. “Between you and me, I haven’t really seen him this busy in ages so I probably owe you for that. It sounds like the idea he has cooking up is really quite a good one this time.”

“Kathy, what exactly happened to me?” Patty asked. At that moment she didn’t much care of she inspired a bestseller from David, she just wanted to know what had happened. “First I was at the subway station, and then I found myself here.”

Patty instinctively ran her hand through her hair and looked towards a window. She wondered based on Kathy’s words how long she had actually been out. She had never really fainted except once when her father was beating the tar out of her for talking to Freddy Dowd.

Shaking off the memory like an old coat, she looked bleary-eyed at her watch to see if she could make out the time. When she could not read the numbers, she closed her eyes and lowered her arm. Kathy’s response to her question abruptly brought her back to the present.

“You fainted,” the older woman said. “What do you remember about this morning?”

“Well, the last thing I remember was sitting on a bench on the subway platform and feeling as though I was going to fall over,” she said. “Then I woke up here.”

Kathy nodded. “Dave said that you whispered the name ‘Anton’, and then collapsed right in the middle of the platform. He was pretty surprised as he had never really seen a woman faint before. I’m not really the fainting type.” She smirked.

Patty simply took a deep breath. “I hope I didn’t cause him any trouble.”

Kathy shook her head. “None at all. Besides, you gave him something to write about and since he saved your bacon, I would say that you’re both pretty much even now.” She paused as she seated herself in the nearby chair and folded her legs gracefully beneath her. “So, sweetie, since we’re on the subject of men…”

We were? Patty thought, her mind was now reeling. Instead of speaking, she waited for Kathy to continue.

“Who’s this Anton?” She cut right to the chase. “He must be pretty special for you to call his name just before seeing stars.”

“He is or was a really good friend of mine,” Patty hedged.

Kathy nodded. “Well, I pretty much surmised that. Is he your boyfriend?”

“Boyfriend?” Patty whispered.

“Yeah, you know, a little roll in the hay in the morning, a cuddle in the park at noon, and then to top it off, a romantic candle lit dinner at night before another roll in the hay,” she giggled despite the seriousness of her words. As the laughter died away, she looked at Patty. “Come on sweetie, we’re both women here, and it would make me feel a lot better to know that you were more interested in some other guy and not in my David.”

“I don’t know about what you described, but I think I do love Anton,” she confessed. “I have for so long, that it would be impossible for me to like some other man as more than just a friend.”

It felt utterly strange for Patty to say that. Of course, she had thought about it quite often, but to come out and say ‘I love Anton’, seemed rather strange for her. Although she had eluded to it to some degree when she had spoken to Melanie, she had not really confessed to being completely and hopelessly in love.

In the back of her mind, however, Patty knew that she would never be able to look at another man until she knew with absolute certainty if there was a chance for her and Anton to be together. There was something very appealing to her each time she thought about him. Did his hair still hang lazily over his brow like it did when they first met? Did he still smile in that jaunty way that made her feel the unbelievable attraction that came from a school-girl crush? And what about his eyes, those blue-gray colored orbs that seemed to regard her with keen interest and undeniable fascination?

Back in those days, Anton had hung on every word she said, but anymore she was not quite certain if that was going to be enough motivation for him to love her as much as she did him. Instead of contemplating this further, she looked at Kathy, all the while trying to change the subject. “So when are you getting married.”

“Hopefully soon, but we haven’t set a date yet,” Kathy said. “So what do you think of David?”

“I think he’s nice, but too old for me, I’m only twenty-four,” she said.

“I’m thirty-five. Anyway, that means he’s almost old enough to be your dad, huh?” Kathy asked happily.

“No, to be quite truthful, the last thing I want is another father figure in my life. My father is not a very nice person at all, in fact, we’ve never gotten along,” Patty said truthfully. “I’d prefer to have a few good friends and leave it at that.”

Kathy nodded. “I know what you mean, but I think that given what you’ve said, we’re going to get along just fine.”

“I just wish I could remember what happened on the subway platform. My mind feels as though it has drawn a complete blank.”

“Well, tell me where you and Dave went after he picked you up at the ‘Y’,” she said. “Maybe that will jar some sort of memory for you.”

Patty took a deep breath. “Well, first, we were at the Goethe Institute, and after we left there, we went to Times Square and then wanted to catch the subway to go to Brighton Beach for lunch. and on our way there, I guess I…passed out.”

“Well, when Dave comes out from beneath all those papers of his, then he’ll probably be able to let you know what he could remember. Why don’t we go and get your stuff from the ‘Y’ and you can bunk down here until your ship leaves tomorrow.”

“But Kathy, I’m a stranger,” Patty objected.

“I know, but Patty, you passed out,” Kathy said firmly. “It would not be wise for you to be alone in the wake of having done that, something else could happen. There may be something wrong, and I could not, in good conscience, leave you alone to contend with it. I know that you don’t know us very well, and chances are Dave is going to be picking your brain for ideas for his next play until you leave. I just figured that it would probably not be a bad idea to have you around until then. I’ll even show you where the ship will sail from since I work part-time in that area anyway.”

Patty nodded. “If it’s not a problem for you, then alright. I guess there’s nothing wrong with me staying here. I just didn’t want to impose on anyone.”

“Don’t you worry about that,” Kathy said as the two women got up from the sofa and she started to walk towards the door. “Can you manage to walk without any problems?” She asked.

Patty nodded. “I think so.” She was surprised when the dizziness did not overwhelm her. She was almost certain that it would happen the moment she tried to put her weight on her feet. “I don’t feel dizzy anymore, so maybe we can make it there and back without any problems,” she said.

Kathy nodded and the two women left the apartment.

~~~~~

About an hour later, they returned from the ‘Y’, Patty’s belongings now lined up along the side of the room and Kathy had gone into the kitchen to make a pot of tea. Instead of simply sitting on the sofa doing nothing, she joined her hostess and helped her to slice up a baguette for dinner. Several kinds of sausages and cheeses were pulled out and she looked at Patty. “We usually eat bread and cold cuts for dinner, it’s was left over from when my parents left Russia to come to New York.”

“Your family is from Russia?” She asked.

Kathy nodded. “Yes, I came here when I was a little girl, and quickly lost my accent but Dave probably told you that my parents own a restaurant in Brighton Beach. That’s how we met, I was waiting tables when he came in with a bunch of actors from the theatre group. I imagine that Dave told you about it because he loves Russian food.”

“Do you speak Russian?” Patty asked.

“Da,” she said. “It means ‘yes’, but since coming here, I forgot so much, but I didn’t forget the culture. That’s what compelled me to invite you to stay here, that part of my heritage that tells me that I should invite new friends to stay. I suppose you might say that as a child I learned English, but never really got the chance to practice the Russian except with the older people my parents used to hang around with. Now that I’m on my own, I hang out with Dave’s theater friends, and cook at one of the local soup kitchens.”

“My father’s parents were from Russia, but I don’t know the specific area. I just know that for whatever reason, I ended up in the middle of nowhere.”

“Where specifically is the middle of nowhere?” Kathy asked.

“A small town in Arkansas,” she responded. “It’s called Jenkinsville, but most people here probably never heard of it. The closest big city to it is Memphis, in Tennessee and that’s where my grandparents live.”

“No, I’ve never heard of it. What’s it like?” Kathy asked as they went over and seated themselves at the table.

“Nothing spectacular. I left when I was eighteen and moved to Memphis to live with my grandparents. There I started working at the largest newspaper there as an intern. I was working pretty consistently for the next four or five years, and then ended up in Atlanta on the unemployment line.”

“So, how did you end up in Manhattan?” Kathy asked as she reached for a slice of bread and then snagged herself a piece of salami.

Patty, taking this as a sign that she was to ‘help herself’, followed Kathy’s lead and reached for a piece of bread as well. Instead of looking for meat, she grabbed a piece of cheese, and began to nibble on the corner of the slice.

“I guess I just decided that I wanted to see something besides four walls and wonder what was out there. So, I boarded a train, and found myself here,” she said.

“And you did this all by yourself?” Kathy asked with awe in her words. “That’s a pretty brave thing to do.”

“I don’t know if it’s brave, or stupid,” Patty said. “The truth is, there’s a reason why I’m making the trip, but there’s so much uncertainty about why I’m doing it. What if when I get to where I’m going, I discover that there’s no reason for me to actually have gone?”

“Yet, you’re going, and shouldn’t that be reason enough?” She asked as she took another bite of her food. “Patty, what you’re doing is amazing. When I was your age, I didn’t have the courage to do much of anything. I may seem tough to you, but the truth is I love how David is so courageous. He’s not afraid to try something new, and maybe that’s why he found you at the station and wanted to show you around the city. He saw a part of himself in you and it made him want to help.”

“You’re not angry that he did that?” She asked. “I know of girls back home who would have had a fit if their boyfriends were playing the ‘welcome wagon’ to other girls.”

Kathy shook her head. “No, I know that you’re a good person and you wouldn’t do anything to hurt either of us. Somehow I can just tell that about a person. If I couldn’t, culture or no, I wouldn’t have invited you to come and stay here.”

As she spoke the door to David’s study opened and he came out into the living room. “Have you ladies gone and eaten all the cold cuts?” He asked as he sat down at the table with them.

“No, there’s plenty left, Patty eats like a bird,” Kathy said with a nod. “Did you get a lot done?”

David took a deep breath. “Some, but not a lot.” He turned and looked at Patty. “So do you feel any better? You really scared me when you passed out.”

“I scared you?” She asked.

“Don’t act so surprised, by that answer. I may not be used to ladies falling at my feet, but I do still feel concern, you know.” he said with dramatic undertones in his voice.

Kathy giggled. “Don’t mind him, he’s always like this when he’s composing a wonderfully dramatic script. Aren’t you, sweetheart?”

“Maybe,” he said with a tiny smirk. “So, you want to tell us what happened and why you passed out?” As he spoke, his blue eyes were as calm as the sea, but filled with worry.

Patty took a deep breath. “I should tell you something, I know, but I don’t really know where to start.”

“Why not at the beginning? Just before you passed out, you cried out someone’s name and you looked around as though you had seen a ghost. So, why don’t you start by telling us a little bit more about who Anton is?” He asked as he shifted his gaze and was now looking at Kathy. “Did she tell you?”

“She mentioned him, but only in passing,” Kathy said. “She said he was her friend and that she loved him.”

“Seems rather obvious,” David said.

“I want to talk about him, but I can’t,” she began. “I feel torn about the whole thing.”

“Is he the reason you’re going to Germany?” Kathy asked.

“Yes, I wanted to go see him, and see if there’s any hope of our still being friends,” Patty whispered, her voice etched in sadness. She wanted to confide in her two new friends, but figured that it was perhaps not the best idea. After all, there was something fascinating about her relationship with Anton, but she could imagine still how the townspeople would have reacted if they had known. Of course, David and Kathy seemed a bit more culturally open-minded and her story might actually help him with his writing.

At the same instance, she was not quite certain that she was ready talk about this. They had become her friends, and this was the greatest secret that she had ever known. In many ways, it was like being given an award, but never being able to speak of it.

Her eyes were filled with sadness as she got to her feet and walked over to the sofa where David had put her when she had been passed out. She sat down and clasped her hands together, her head lowered.

The couple exchanged glances, but opted to saying nothing further about Patty’s episode in the New York City underground.

The evening passed without her having to disclose any further information.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

The following morning, Patty awoke to hear the sounds of a pulsating chime ringing in her ears. From the sofa, she could make out the sounds of Kathy running through the apartment and getting ready for work.

David’s snoring could still be heard clear out into the hallway, and she figured that the playwright had stayed up much of the night working. He did seem to keep strange hours, but that was not any of her concern. Right now, what felt important for her was to get some more sleep. She pulled the covers over her head and allowed herself to drift back out of consciousness.

When she opened her eyes again, the first thing she noticed was that the room now took on the fragrance of bread. She tried to shove her way out from under the bedding so that she could have a look around her surroundings. The room was now filled with light and she figured that her hostess had no doubt raised the blinds so that she would be able to see her way around the room once she had woken up.

Pushing the bedding to one side, Patty crawled off the sofa and walked the length of the room towards the table. A note was scrawled out in Kathy’s uneven script.

_Patty,_

_I had to leave early for work. There are bread rolls for breakfast on the table in the wicker basket. If you want some coffee or anything specific, just help yourself. There’s meat, cheese, and marmalade in the refrigerator._

_David will probably sleep till noon, so maybe you can amuse yourself until he wakes._

_I’ll be back in time to take you to the ship, so don’t worry._

_See you later,  
Kathy_

Patty smiled as she replaced the note and began to rub the sleep out of her eyes. The sounds from outside seemed to be permeating the apartment. Cabs were honking and all the things she had seen about New York City were somehow proving true. It was strange that all she knew of where the things she had seen at the noon matinee back in the Jenkinsville Theater.

Seconds later, David came out into the room. “Morning. Did you sleep okay?

She turned around to see that he was dressed in the same clothing he had been wearing the night before. The shirt was now wrinkled beyond repair, but she opted to not staring or even mentioning it. Instead, she addressed his inquiry. “Yeah, like a baby, thanks for letting me stay here.”

“No great credit to me, it was Kathy’s idea. She comes from a culture that believes in helping people as much as possible. You’ll probably notice that in the European cultures when you get there. I think people like you are sort of a fascination to them, and the Russian in her is fascinated with the fact that a young lady from a small town in the middle of nowhere, as you described it, would find herself in the middle of the rat race of Manhattan.”

“You seem so certain about that,” she said smiling slightly.

“I know my fiancé is all, I know how she is, and the things that strike her interest. Of course, I don’t mean to sound presumptuous,” he said, his voice taking on a casual cadence.

“You don’t, her culture actually interests me because my father’s family came from Russia,” she said honestly. Although I would never have considered even asking him about that, she added silently.

“Did you feel close to them?” He asked. “Is that why you’re so interested?”

“No,” she said simply. “I think my father would disown me if given the chance and I never really knew much about his parents either. They didn’t strike me as the casual dinner time conversationalists, if you know what I mean.”

David smiled and nodded. “So, the coffee. Do you like it strong or weak, or in the middle?”

“I guess in the middle, the only place I remember it ever being too weak was at the press room at _Memphis Commercial Appeal_ just before a deadline.”

He nodded as he read over the note on the table. “She told me last night after you went to sleep that she had to be at work early today. That’s why she’s not here. I think she would stay the whole time with us if she could.”

Patty nodded as she took a deep breath. “I’m not really sure about how to go about making the coffee, so maybe you can, and I’ll put the stuff out on the table.”

With precision and accuracy, David managed to make the coffee and within minutes, they were seated at the table and eating breakfast. After several minutes, David had gotten up and went over to the window and opened it. As the breeze wafted its way into the room, Patty was suddenly hurled back to her memories of what had happened during Anton’s time hiding over the garage. She remembered the breakfast that she had had with her two best friends and how special that had been.

Closing her eyes, she could suddenly feel the tears that escaped from beneath the lids and began to fall down over her cheeks. Unfortunately, it was too late for her to get rid of them, David had seen them and his voice penetrated her thoughts.

“I think you’re zoning out again,” he said calmly. “You want to talk about it?”

“I’m sorry, I was just remembering something,” she said trying to offer him a brave smile.

“Why don’t you tell me what it is?” He said. “Does it have anything to do with why you’re going to Germany and the reason you passed out yesterday? Come on, I want to be your friend, and I think you know that you can trust me. After all, I didn’t run off with your suitcase now, did I?” He smirked at her, his blue eyes filled with mischief.

Conceding, she nodded. “Alright, fair enough, do you remember when we were talking about _Romeo and Juliet_ types of stories yesterday?”

“Yeah, you mentioned this as a way to help me with my script,” he said. “Why?”

“What I was telling you was about me,” she said. “David, I know that Kathy has these romantic feelings about places like Jenkinsville, but there’s nothing romantic about the place at all. I lived eighteen years of my life there, and I hated every minute of it, well, maybe not every minute, there were some good parts. Anyway, I suppose it would have been better if my parents were nice, but they aren’t. They’re snobs, they’re rude and very unkind. You asked me why I was going to Europe. That’s part of the reason. I wanted to get as far away from there as I could and sort things out in my own way.”

“That sounds logical, but the idea you had about the star-crossed lovers is positively brilliant,” he said. “I spent most of last night writing on it.”

“I’m glad you liked it, I just wish it wasn’t as complicated as it really is,” she said as he got up and went to retrieve two coffee cups and brought them over to the table. “David, I have to go to Germany because I have to find someone very important.”

“Let me guess, it was this fellow, Anton, he stole your heart, didn’t he?” he smiled, but when she did not answer, he continued speaking. “You’re in love with him, correct?”

“That’s just it, I don’t know.” She broke down, her shoulders beginning to shake as she watched his face swim before her eyes. Seconds later, she closed her eyes, but no matter what she did, the tears were burning them as though they were on fire. She took a deep breath knowing that she was about to pour out her soul to someone she had known for less than forty-eight hours. He was a man in his forties, but he was also someone who had been the closest thing to a father figure that she could consciously recall. She rubbed her face in her hands and repeated the words she had spoken moments ago. “I don’t know.”

“Yes you do,” he said, his words emerging simple and concise. It was as though David had spent much of his life counseling the lovelorn. He reached across the table and touched her shoulder. “I think you’re scared of the possibility that something bad might happen if you pursue this. But, something bad did happen to you, you’re still scarred by it.”

Defeated, she offered him a slow nod. “But, it was twelve years ago.”

“It doesn’t matter how long ago it was, it changed your life, didn’t it? Whatever it was that happened to you, it seemed to have completely empowered you. That’s why you fainted, you were remembering something and it caused you to get completely zoned out.”

She nodded numbly. “I’m sorry for causing you so much trouble.”

“It was no trouble,” he said casually. “Listen Patty, I don’t know what happened to you, or what you went through, but you have to know that there is nothing at all wrong with another person empowering you like this. Alright, you were a child when this happened, weren’t you?”

“I was twelve,” she whispered, the coffee and breakfast now forgotten.

She just wanted to cry, to pull herself into a little ball and forget about why it was she was losing herself in all of this in the first place. It felt like a trauma, yet she had always known that these were events in her life that she could not forget, no matter how hard she tried.

“You were a child,” he said.

“That’s part of the problem,” she whispered.

“How old was he?” David asked.

“Twenty-two,” she took a deep breath. “He was grown, and I was just this scrawny preteen kid who wanted to make up her own rules as she went along. He was handsome and kind and he…”

“…He could have hung the moon, right?” David asked.

“I don’t understand,” she said.

“It means that he was your world, that everything that you did was centered on him; every thought, every emotion…every feeling,” he said wisely. “You’re afraid to go back because maybe he would still see you as that child you once were instead of the woman that you have become.”

“Yeah,” she whispered, but sniffed. “But, it’s more to it than that, this is almost like an obsession with me.”

“And that obsession will not lessen until you go through the motions of it and work through all of it. Correct?”

She nodded. “I guess.”

David took a deep breath. “Well, it’s a very brave thing to do. But can I ask you something?”

“What?”

“How did a twelve-year-old girl come in contact with a twenty-two-year-old man?” He asked pointedly.

Patty lowered her head. “He came into the shop that my parents owned. He was looking at blocks of paper and pocket pencil sharpeners. We started talking and became friends.”

“From the expression on your face, I think there’s more to it than just that,” David said. “Come on, Patty just tell me.”

She took a deep breath. “Anton was a Prisoner of War, he escaped from the camp and the summer I was twelve-years-old, I helped him.”

“You helped him?” He asked skeptically.

“Yes. If you want me to go, then I will,” she said. “But I helped him. I hid him over the garage in the back lot of my parents’ property.”

“No, don’t go,” he said softly. “Just stay and tell me the story.”

“It’s not a story,” she whispered.

“You’re right, it’s not,” he said as he ran his hands through his curly blond hair. He then reached for the cup of coffee and took a long sip. When he replaced the cup, he looked at her. “Is he the reason you didn’t want to tell me that you were Jewish?”

She nodded. “I was afraid that you might not understand why I wanted to go to Germany. David, I never told anyone, I mean Ruth knew, and Melanie my roommate in Atlanta knew, but they’re Christian, they don’t have our history, or our wounds.”

“No, they don’t, but Patty I want you to listen to me for a minute,” he began. “Try to remember this, contrary to the loyalties we may have to a country. Your friend was not at Auschwitz at the time that those tragedies happened. He was in America, and I don’t believe for even an instant that someone like you would have befriended someone who wished you dead. Did he know that you were Jewish?”

“I-I told him when we were talking about my last name. He said that it was a nice German name, and I responded with ‘it’s also a nice Jewish name’.”

“You never forgot who you were, in other words,” David nodded.

She shook her head despondently, but kept her head lowered. “I couldn’t.”

David reached across the table and touched her hand. “Maybe what you needed to hear was that your actions were perhaps not American in scope, but by God they were humane, and what would you rather be, Patty?”

She smiled weakly, but the tears continued to stream down over her face. “David, I love him.”

“I know, it’s completely obvious to me, and I think Kathy picked up on it too, even though you were pretty evasive last night,” he said.

“You don’t think I’m a bad person?” She asked weakly.

David smiled. For some reason he could not help it, she sounded so very much like a child as opposed to being a woman. Instead of commenting on this, he got up from the table and rounded it.

Reaching down, he took her hands, pulled her into his arms, and hugged her in the same way she wished that her mother or father would. “No, I never thought that of you, and I am an amazing judge of character.” He chuckled as he drew back and touched her nose with his finger.

Patty nodded and smiled, but allowed herself to return his embrace.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Several hours after Patty had confided in David about Anton, the subject of her words had just come home from work. It was close to five in the afternoon German time and although he was accustomed to stressful days, he was still rather tired. He smiled at the prospect of having one last day of work before his holiday was scheduled to begin.

As a doctor, although he had quite a few days each year to take a break, his workload made the whole planning for a vacation close to impossible. Thankfully, his colleague would be coming back during the coming weekend and would be able to take up where he had left off.

There was no question in his mind, although he loved what he did professionally, he was looking forward to a time when he would be able to sit back, relax, and enjoy the freedom that came with the days at the seaside.

The salty sea air mixed with the spray of foam from the ocean was just what he needed. Regardless of whether or not Patty Bergen was actually on her way to Germany, Anton felt as though the timing of his planned holiday could not have been more perfect.

As a doctor, he often advised his patients to take a holiday in the mountains or to the coastline at least once every year. If for no other reason but to clear their heads and give them a change of scenery. Of course, his patients who suffered from asthma most definitely needed the time away to catch a breath of fresh air. Over time, although not always medically proven, he had come to realize that this somehow always seemed to help, specifically when he was going through the stresses of his present working situation.

There was, simply put, something absolutely rejuvenating about the seaside.

Exhaling slowly, he placed his briefcase up against the wall and next to the cabinet in the front hallway of his apartment. Next, he opened the door to the cabinet and retrieved a hanger. With that between his fingers, he managed to awkwardly remove his overcoat. Once he hung it in the cabinet, he closed the door and his gray blue eyes started to take in the apartment.

_What a mess,_ he thought.

His parents had suggested on more than one occasion to have someone come in and clean the place up. His residence was a typical bachelor pad, complete with dirty dishes stacked in the sink with nothing but a dish towel draped over them. Out of sight is out of mind, he often thought, but his mother did not like that philosophy one single bit. In fact, she incessantly complained that her oldest child needed a lady to help him keep things in order. He was not doing a very good job on his own, she often argued, which made his eyes literally roll in skepticism.

“I have to help Holger with the practice,” he often argued. “I don’t always have time for a relationship, much less trying to keep a house in order. But, if it would help ease your troubled mind, how would it be if I hired a cleaning lady?”

“A stranger running their grubby hands through your private effects?” His father had asked with traces of annoyance in his voice. The mere proposal seemed, at best, preposterous. “You’ll never be able to find anything after a cleaning lady has reorganized your place, son.”

After that dialogue, Anton had decided that he would not be mentioning this particular issue with his parents again. Of course, consciously he figured that he would eventually have to wash the dishes before his mother surprised him with one of her spontaneous visits.

His father understood the concept of privacy. In fact, Professor Erikson Karl Reiker was the type of person who treasured his freedoms above all else. Perhaps it was something that Anton shared with him since his return home to Germany.

Although they did not always see eye to eye, the two Reiker men did understand the concept of freedom perhaps better than anyone else ever could. Deborah and Hannah, on the other hand, did not always comprehend the ways the men did things, much less, the conclusions they reached.

With his thoughts returning to present, Anton closed the door, his attention abruptly shifting when the phone rang in the hallway. Retrieving it, he placed it against his ear and spoke his surname into the receiver. “Reiker.”

“Funny, that’s my name too,” a familiar voice emerged over the line followed by a slight giggle.

“Hannah?” He spoke his sister’s name.

“Who else would it be?” She asked coyly.

“Touché,” he smiled. “So, what’s new?”

“Nothing much except that I’m definitely coming home,” she said smugly. “Mum and Dad should be thrilled. I’m going to call them once I get done pestering you.”

“They’ll definitely be happy,” he smiled. “So you really decided to follow that girl here, correct?”

“Yes.” Emerged the concise answer as though it was the most obvious response in the world.

“Did that girl come by your office again today?” He asked. “I mean; is that why you’ve made this choice?”

“No, she didn’t come by at all,” came the response. “In all honesty, I don’t estimate seeing her again at the institute before I leave. The deal is, she hasn’t stopped by since yesterday morning. I called the lady at the Immigration Department and she said that if I leave then my application for residency will become null and void.”

“Then why are you coming?” He asked.

“Because I want to. I like it here alright, but it’s never going to be home. Hildegard said that there is a chance that I could get a job at one of the Institute branches though. Of course, that would mean that I would have to move to Frankfurt. She also said that she would put in a good word for me in the form of a recommendation,” Hannah said. “Anyway, my other friend works for a travel agency and he’s managed to get me a reduced rate ticket on a ship that leaves for Hamburg tonight at seven. I have been trying to get all my things packed and the rest of my stuff can be shipped back home in the coming weeks. Between Hildegard and Klaus, that should be no problem. Anyway, Klaus insisted that this was the only ship that would be leaving New York harbor on its way to Germany today. This has got to be the right one. At any rate, it will be docking next Sunday afternoon at noon. Do you think you can meet me when I get in?”

“I can, yes, but I still think you’re crazy,” he said with a sigh. “You are throwing away so much to help me. What if the girl from the institute is not P.B.? What if what you’re doing is like trying to capture the wind or hold onto something that’s not tangible?”

“And what if it is tangible?” Hannah asked. “Look, Anton, I know what I’m doing, and I think that the institute job in Frankfurt is going to be a sure thing. But, one thing is a given, it’s been twelve years, and you haven’t forgotten what happened. You can’t. If this girl is who we think she is, then I’m making the choice, and you can’t stop me from doing it.”

“Perhaps not,” he mused. “Please don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled that you’re coming home. I’m also certain that Mum and Dad will be as happy with this news as I am. I just don’t want you to be disappointed if what we hope for is not the reality. It’s been so long, and Patty and I have both changed. We’re not the same people we once were.”

Hannah sighed. “I know that and I won’t regret it, Anton. How could I? This story of you and her, it’s better than any I have ever heard. Besides, if it is her, then at least I got to help you both a little bit. Isn’t that what sisters are supposed to do?”

Anton took a deep breath and released it slowly. “Alright you’ve convinced me that you’re the greatest sister in the whole world, but since you have decided that this must be Patty, then I will not say another word about it. Between you and Mum trying to get me married off, I have this feeling that I will not be all that adept at distracting you once you set your mind to something.”

“So you’re not upset with me for jumping off this virtual cliff and coming home?” She asked.

He chuckled. “No, I’m amazed by your strength and courage actually. It’s very much like what P.B. showed me twelve years ago.”

“You talked about her after you got home, but you never mentioned how you felt about her.” Hannah said. “Why?”

“I don’t really know why,” he admitted. “I suppose I didn’t feel like talking about it. I care for her and some things are just private. At the same time, I had no idea that she could have fallen in love with me or even had a crush on me.”

“Why not?” She asked. “You’re a good looking guy.”

Anton chuckled. “That’s purely subjective, Hannah.” He paused and inhaled slowly. “I wonder how P.B. is every day, but I know that I would have to see her to know how she is or if there is a chance for us to be together. I believe that she does remember what she did, but I can’t say if it’s love or not. I guess I won’t know that until I get a chance to see her again.”

As he was speaking, he could suddenly feel something rubbing up against his pant leg. Glancing down, he noticed that Minka was looking up at him, the cat’s head tilting sideways as though asking him where her dinner was.

Instead of voicing this, the next words emerged from his sister.

“I should get going, Anton, I still have a lot to pack, but I wanted to let you know that I would be coming,” she said.

“Alright, thanks for calling and letting me know. I have to go anyway. I still need to attend to Her Royal Highness,” he chuckled.

“Let me guess, Minka’s hungry,” she laughed.

Anton smiled. “Who else?”

“I’ll see you soon. Oh and Anton, do take some advice from your dear and loving sister.”

“What might that be?” He asked a smirk breaking through.

“Clean up your house, you may end up having a lady guest in there very, very soon.”

Hannah’s parting comment was still ringing in his ears long after he had returned the receiver to the cradle. Sighing, he leaned down and picked the cat up in his arms and started to make his way down the hall and into the kitchen.

“You know, Minka, maybe I should do some cleaning before we leave for Büsum, but I still keep wondering if the lady Hannah saw at the institute is really Patty. The chances of it being her are pretty much a million to one, aren’t they?”

The cat mewed as he sat down at the table with her still snugly held in his lap. “Yes, I know you’re hungry, but I still have to think about this. Do you think that the lady in New York might be Patty? I want to believe it’s her, but if I put too much emphasis on this, I will probably end up disappointed.”

He took a deep breath and released it. No matter; Hannah was coming home, that was the best news he had heard in a long time. As they both had surmised on the phone, this bit of information would thrill their parents. It was more than clear that Deborah Reiker did not like having her youngest child in America any more than she comprehended Anton’s overwhelming lack in housekeeping skills.

Contrary to the parental pressures he was under, Anton was home and did not intend on leaving. He loved being home and he was happy there.

Of course, his sister’s call had rejuvenated him to some degree and now there was a new spring in his step. He could not understand why that was the case, as Patty had not yet arrived in Germany, but something deep down inside of him was slowly becoming convinced that the woman who had inquired about him at the Goethe Institute was his endeared Patricia Ann Bergen.

Moments passed as Anton put his cat back on her feet. He then got up and started to look around the room for a can of cat food. It was time for him to feed Minka and get himself something to eat as well. Then he would have no choice in the matter except to clean up the piles of dishes that were stacked lackadaisically in the sink.

_Some things were still inevitable,_ he thought as he set to work.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Contrary to the misgivings that she carried, Hannah Reiker was filled with anticipation some six hours after speaking with her brother on the telephone. Of course, for the life of her, she could still not believe that her friend Klaus Hendrix had managed to get her passage on a ship bound for Germany.

It came as a double surprise because it had all been arranged at the last possible minute.

Hannah Reiker was never one to look a gift horse in the mouth and this was definitely one of those particular instances where she was not about to try.

The sun was setting behind the buildings when the taxi pulled up and she and Klaus disembarked. They handed the driver three dollars, two fifty with tip, and watched as the man pulled away from the curb, the sounds of a horn announcing his departure.

On the sidewalk, she turned and looked at Klaus as he spoke. “So, you have your ticket, passport and all your other things in order?” He asked, thus breaking the silence that had encompassed them.

Hannah smiled at his question, all the while realizing that this was his job, as he worked at one of the most prosperous travel agencies in the entire city. He loved his work and his entire stance seemed demonstrative of that.

“Yes, I have everything, and Hildegard said that she would have my things shipped on the next freighter that leaves,” she said as she looked at him. “I can’t believe I’m actually doing this.”

“Your brother should consider himself an extremely lucky individual to have someone like you for a sister,” Klaus said. “You will write when you get there, won’t you?”

“Of course,” she embraced him, a kiss she planted on his cheek. “Thank you so much for all your help.”

“No problem,” he said. “I’m glad I could help, I only hope that you find what it is you’re looking for. From what you’ve told me about this entire story, it sounds to me like this is your brother’s problem and not yours. I guess that’s where the bond of family comes in.”

“I suppose so, but I’ve been thinking about going home for a long time now,” she said honestly. “New York may be home to you, but it’s not to me. Maybe I just needed a catalyst to encourage me to take that next step.” She released her hold on him and backed up several steps.

“Just be careful,” he said as he helped her strap on her rucksack. Once she had managed to balance it, she started to reach for the handles of the two large suitcases and heaved them up off the ground.

“I will, take care, and maybe if you are ever back in Germany, you can look me up,” she smiled, but hesitated before starting to back her way towards the large gray colored building that acted as a barrier between the docked ships and the street that ran parallel to it.

“Auf wiedersehen Hannah!” He called out to her. _(good-bye)_

Turning back around, she smiled. “Tschüß!” _(See you later)_ The word filled his ears as she offered a final wave before disappearing inside.

~~~~~

The building, which looked large and intimidating from the outside was really quite simple once she came inside. Along one wall there was a check in point that she would have to bypass before she would be able to go to the dock and board the ship.

In addition to the various stands and checkpoints, there were people standing around in blue and white colored uniforms. To be specific, they were dressed in dark blue pants, and white blazers with matching blue patches that adorned the breast pocket of the suit jackets.

As Hannah made her way through the crowd of people who apparently were there to buy tickets or make reservations, she approached a woman who was standing and stamping the tickets and checking names as the passengers passed through her doorway.

Compared to the number of people in the building, there were very few people who were opting to enter that particular doorway. As she reached it, the German woman lowered the bags she carried and retrieved her passport and ticket. These items, she handed to the woman who looked down at the paperwork and nodded. “You must go to dock twenty four, that’s through the doors and to the left. If you have any questions, then feel free to ask, there will be people standing around ready to offer their assistance.” She handed the papers back to Hannah and as if an afterthought, she called out the number in German: ‘Vierundzwansig’.

Nodding, Hannah returned the green colored passport and the ticket to the side pocket of her purse before once more picking up her bags and starting to slowly make her way along the designated path. Turning left, she found herself walking the length of the hallway. As promised, she could see various employees of the shipping company standing around. Some were talking, others were rolling cigarettes or huddled around an ashtray.

At the end of the corridor, she stepped outside and felt the early evening air as it wafted through her hair.

The dock was huge, and the ship was even more colossal than she remembered from her trip to the States. Of course that was two years ago, and perhaps the technology had changed since her trip. Somehow, this one seemed even larger than the other.

Taking a deep breath, she walked slowly towards the gangplank that would lead her into the large foyer at the entrance of the ship.

All around her, there seemed a steady stream of people boarding, some carrying large trunks as well as suitcases. With a look of determination crossing her face, she smiled as she made her way up and into the ship. Immediately, she found herself standing in a short line as the passengers were greeted by various crewmembers. They were all dressed in the same blue and white outfits that she had seen back inside the main building.

As the line began to move, she found herself looking into the eyes of a female crewmate. “Welcome aboard,” the woman in a blue sailor dress greeted her. “May I have your name, please?”

“Yes,” she said smiling. “My name is Hannah Reiker, I just received my ticket yesterday afternoon, I may not be on your passenger list yet, but I do have my ticket here.”

The woman raised her head and nodded. “Not to worry, we got an updated list early this morning and your name seems to be here. You’re on level six in cabin forty three.” She turned back towards the counter and waited as one of her assistants handed her a key ring. On it was a small silver key and a flat blue colored disk with L6 / 43 engraved in white across it.

“Thank you very much,” she said accepting the key.

“Enjoy your trip,” the woman said.

Before Hannah could so much as respond, the woman was assisting the next passenger.

Wordlessly, she slipped the key into the side pocket of her purse before gripping the handles of her luggage and making her way through the corridor towards the hallway that would take her to her cabin. She was not sure if Klaus had managed to arrange things to her benefit, but from what she understood about all of this, she was well aware that she would sharing a cabin with another passenger.

Would it be with the young woman she had seen back at the institute? Only time would tell.

She hoped that it would. Of course, she remembered when she asked Klaus if there was a chance for her to be matched up with someone based solely on their name. She did not wish to come across presumptuous, but she knew that if she were to share a cabin with a specific individual, then that meant that they would probably be spending, at least, some of the time together over the course of this trip.

Klaus had, of course, said yes, and this turned out to be the most beneficial of news. If this was Patty Bergen, then maybe she would be able to find out even more specific details about the young woman’s trip to Germany than what she already knew.

By this time, Hannah had found the door to the cabin. The large dark brown door was simple, it had a similar disk shaped number on it, with the same indenture that was on her keychain.

She unlocked the door and went inside the cabin. It was not a very small room, but it was also quite snug and she figured that once her cabin mate was due to arrive, it would be quite a tight squeeze with the luggage and their general movement around the small room.

Between the two beds a small night stand was positioned and a strangely shaped lamp was placed. The lavatory was off to the left and it led into a very tiny room with a toilet, shower and sink. The size of it basically meant that the entire room would, no doubt, got wet when one would shower. Not very practical, but better than nothing.

On the two sides of the room were two beds with a small port hole window between them. From inside, she could see the sky as well as the neighboring buildings and other ships. They were scheduled to leave at seven, and now with the sky growing dark, they would eventually be leaving.

It was nice to know that at least there was this porthole, she thought. During her trip to America, she did not have that particular luxury and had to spend much of her time on deck as opposed to spending her time in the darkened cabin.

Instead of unpacking her things, however, Hannah casually tossed her suitcases onto her bed and settled in to wait.

~~~~~

At the same time Hannah was making herself comfortable in the cabin, Patty, David and Kathy arrived at the very same building that Anton’s sister had entered only moments before. The ship towered over them in the distance and for the first time since their arrival, Patty found herself swallowing nervously as she laid eyes on the behemoth sized vessel. It was clear to anyone observing that the young woman was panicky. Both of her friends could instinctively tell that this was not going to be easy for her.

As they reached the door that would lead into the large open foyer, David looked at her. “This is it, Patty. The rest is going to be up to you.”

Patty looked at the couple. “You know, I really hate good-bye’s.”

“I know, so do we,” David said smiling as Kathy nodded. “Maybe you should just call it a ‘see you later’ instead of a ‘good-bye’.”

Patty nodded, but unlike Hannah’s cool confidence at being there, her hands felt remotely like ice. She knew that she was afraid, but she also realized that there was no turning back.

She looked into the eyes of the playwright and his fiancé as she tried to offer them a brave smile. “I guess this is really it, huh? You know, my friend Ruth once said that there are big steps in life and smaller ones. This is probably one of the biggest ones I’ve ever taken.”

“It’s a step for love, Patty,” Kathy said. “You love him, and this is just taking everything to the next level. Don’t be afraid of it, just embrace it for what it is.”

She nodded as she felt the Russian lady wrapping her arms around her. “You’re always welcome here, malenkaya sestra. _(little sister)_ Oh wait, before you go, I have to give you something.” Before Patty could say so much as to ask Kathy what the Russian words she had said actually were, the older woman pulled out what looked to be an unused bus ticket and handed it to her.

“Why do you give me this?” She asked. “I’m leaving New York.”

“It’s a custom, Patty. When you go to a new place, and you return with an unused transport ticket, then that means that you’ll one day come back,” Kathy smiled. “I hope that you will.”

“I hope so, too,” she said graciously as she looked at the two of them. “Thank you both for all your help.”

David nodded as he watched her tuck the ticket inside her pocket before reaching out and giving his new friend a hug. “Don’t forget us, and one day when that story goes on Broadway, you’ll have to come back for the opening night and tell us if the story really did have a happy ending.” As he backed away from her, he offered her a bright smile, his blue eyes filled with brotherly love.

Patty nodded, but as she wiped the tears from her eyes, she looked up at him. “I’ll never forget you.” She smiled as she turned away from her two friends and entered the building. Stopping, she turned around to see David was flashing her a ‘thumbs up’ sign and nodding approvingly. Offering a final wave, she turned around before approaching the very same woman that Hannah had encountered. Silently showing her the ticket and her passport, Patty found herself instructed down the very same hallway that led towards dock 24.

As soon as she had been waved through the doorway, she stopped and turned back around, half expecting to see if David and Kathy still present. When she noticed they were gone, a lump caught in her throat. I guess they hated ‘good-bye’s’ or ‘see you later’s’ about as much as I do, she thought.

She bit down on her lip and walked the length of the hallway. Soon she found herself boarding the ship, and had approached a crewmate who asked her to show her ticket and tell him her name.

“Patricia Ann Bergen,” she said softly.

“Level six, cabin forty three,” the man said. Instead of getting distracted by the other passengers, he regarded Patty with concern. “Are you alright, Miss?”

“I’m fine, just a little tired, I guess,” she offered him a somewhat watery smile. “Thank you for asking though.” Once he had handed her the key to the cabin, she walked slowly away from him. With her suitcase dragging along the ground, she descended a staircase into what looked to be another deck. Following the signs, she reached the cabin without any sort of problem.

It did not dawn on her that she would be sharing a cabin with another passenger until she had reached the door and found it half open. The woman seated on one of the beds abruptly turned around when she heard Patty’s clumsy attempts at moving her luggage through the doorway. She smiled as Patty came into the cabin.

For her part, Patty’s thoughts started to race. I hope she’ll at least be nice, she thought as she dragged her suitcase over to the empty bed.

“Hello,” the woman said smiling, her slightly accented voice immediately indicating to Patty that she was German and was now on her way home after a holiday in the US.

“Hi,” she said with a shy smile as the woman stood up. The first thing that she noticed was how this lady seemed to carry elegance around with her like a freshly pressed suit. In this woman’s presence, Patty somehow found herself feeling rather like a slob.

The older woman’s outfit was immaculate, a light brown skirt with an aqua turtleneck sweater. A gold necklace with a heart-shaped locket was dangling from around her neck. She seemed to be screaming elegance. Patty cast a glance down at her own clothes and swallowed nervously. Before she could contemplate what was going to happen next, the woman spoke.

“My name is Hannah,” she offered as she extended her hand towards Patty.

“Patty,” she said running her hands down the front of her dress. She extended her hand towards Hannah, who accepted it graciously. Casting yet another awkward glance down at her clothing, she immediately felt embarrassment at the realization that her dress was completely wrinkled and her hair was unkempt. In addition to that, the blotches that were now under her eyes indicated that she had been crying.

Instead of paying that any mind, she tried to smooth out the wrinkles, all the while feeling remotely like a scrawny chicken in a barnyard full of peacocks.

Hannah seemed to notice her discomfort straightaway and smiled reassuringly. “You must have traveled a long way to get to New York,” she remarked.

Patty nodded, all the while trying to remember her manners. “Yes ma’am.”

“Oh please don’t call me that, it makes me feel much older than I actually am. Just call me Hannah. I mean seeing as we are cabin-mates for the week, we might as well get to know each other instead of walking about with such snobbish means of address.”

Patty nodded, “Alright.”

“So where are you going in Europe, Patty?” She asked.

“Doesn’t this ship go to Germany?”

“Of course, but people could go elsewhere after it docks, that’s just where the ship is heading,” Hannah said lightly. “Me? I’m going home to see my family.” She paused. “I take it you’re going to Germany, too, but where specifically?”

“Göttingen,” she said.

“Really?” Hannah asked. When Patty nodded, she continued speaking. “My family comes from that town. Isn’t that a strange coincidence?”

Patty shrugged her shoulders as she shoved her suitcase against the wall at the foot of her bed. “I guess so,” she mused. Instead of contemplating the strange coincidence, she simply nodded as she pulled out a map and started to unfold it.

Hannah leaned over and noticed that the map was of Western Germany and approaching where Patty sat, she spoke. “Shall I show you where it is?” The younger woman nodded and watched as Hannah placed a finger on a small notation on the map. “It’s right there.”

“It’s pretty far from Hamburg, isn’t it?” She asked.

“Yes, but there are trains that run every hour. You won’t have any problems getting there. Of course, my brother’s going to pick me up. If you don’t mind sharing the ride with him, a cat and a half a dozen suitcases, maybe we can squeeze you in.” She smiled secretly. “I mean; I’m almost sure that he would be delighted to drive you to Göttingen as well, if that is where you intend to go.”

“He wouldn’t mind?” Patty asked all the while not wishing to impose on someone she barely even knew. In fact, the prospect of getting such an offer from a virtual stranger seemed almost too coincidental. Perhaps before accepting or rejecting the offer, she would have to get to know Hannah a bit better.

“I think he would be thrilled,” she smiled impishly as Patty began to fold up the map and stick it in the side pocket of her purse. Before she could so much as offer a simple ‘maybe’, Hannah continued speaking, her next words somehow making Patty blush. “He’s very handsome, too, and still single.”

With those words still hanging in the air, Hannah once more got to her feet and started to unpack some of her belongings while Patty remained on the bed, her gaze staring outside the circular shaped window. She hoped that Hannah would not see her face flushing, but at the same time, she wondered if her new acquaintance would understand her embarrassment the way Kathy and David apparently had. Her attention shifted and she found herself staring down at her lap.

Hannah turned away from her task and sighed when she saw that Patty looked more or less flustered. Perhaps I should not be so forward, she thought as she reached over and touched Patty’s shoulder. “Listen, I'm really sorry, I don’t mean to embarrass you. You have a boyfriend, no doubt, someone who means a great deal to you. Am I right?”

Patty shook her head. “No, let’s just say that my life seems to somehow resemble dramatic plays and stories and just leave it at that.” She smiled at the prospect of her situation becoming a play, and David seemed convinced that he would be able to finish the script and sell it on Broadway.

Instead of speaking further, she stretched out on the bed and closed her eyes. Soon she drifted off to sleep.

Once Hannah had finished unpacking, she glanced over towards where Patty lay exhausted on her bed. The younger woman had fallen asleep and during the time they had spoken, the ship had pulled away from the dock and was now on its way. From her vantage point, she could see the Statue of Liberty and wondered if she ought to wake up Patty so that she could take a look at the large monument herself.

Opting not to, she retrieved her key, and started to leave the cabin. As an afterthought, Hannah reached for a blanket and started shaking it out somewhat before covering Patty with it. She’s completely exhausted, she thought sadly. The poor girl.

Slowly, Hannah leaned over where the younger woman slept, but as she inched her way closer, she could make out the curved metal of the object that dangled from a chain around Patty’s neck. It was a heavy looking object and as Hannah took in the shape and texture of it, she gasped.

_Oh my God, that’s Anton’s ring,_ her thoughts began to race. I would know it anywhere. That means I wasn’t mistaken, she thought with profound disbelief. This young woman was the one who saved her brother’s life. Her assertions all along had been accurate. A smile spread its way across her face, as she lowered her hand from her mouth.

She did not even have to know what Patty’s surname was to know that it was she who had become her older brother’s heroine.

This was all simply too good to be true.

With a bright smile now shadowing her face, Hannah managed to leave the cabin before closing the door firmly behind her.

_Let Patty get some rest,_ she thought smiling. there would be plenty of time left for her to drop this amazing bit of news.

Then again, perhaps the very best idea that she could come up with was simply to allow her brother to spring the surprise. Of course, she wondered how it was she would be able to keep this a secret.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Once Hannah came out on deck, she could feel the wind wafting through her hair, the softness of it kissing the back of her neck and causing her to shiver ever so slightly. She crossed the blue colored deck to some chairs that had been placed along the perimeters of what looked to be a stage of some sort. She figured that the following day they would have games of shuffleboard or some other activity taking place there. At the other end of the large stage, she could make out the triangular shapes that depicted the playing fields.

She liked the quietness of the large deck, even though the sun had set and the stars were peering out as though diamonds on black velvet. There were only a few people around, mostly couples who had sought out a place for the same reason she did – to find peace and quiet away from their cabins.

Instead of paying them any mind, she reached a group of chairs and turned one so that her back would be to the couples and she could stare out across the depths of the ocean as the waves crashed against the sides of the ship. The sounds of the water somehow calmed her and she sat down on the chair and allowed her legs to stretch out in front of her.

Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to drift in and out of consciousness, the sounds that formulated around her somehow making her feel as though she was drifting into some sort of meditative slumber.

What seemed like seconds, was more like an hour when she suddenly opened her eyes and saw a handsome young crewman standing over her. “Excuse me?” His voice was soft, and like her own, slightly accented. “Miss, the buffet is getting ready to close down. Have you at least had something to eat?”

Hannah groggily allowed her eyes to fully open. “What time is it?” She asked, all the while shaking her head in response to his question.

“Close to nine,” he said smiling. “I take it you fell asleep out here.”

“Yes, I suppose I did,” she said. “It’s very relaxing.”

“Yes, I know,” he nodded. “I have often been guilty of doing the very same. My first off duty day, it happened and I woke to see a woman twice my age massaging my feet.”

She smiled. “That must have been a surprise to you.”

“Well, yes, it was, a rather unpleasant one if you want to know the truth,” he said with an affirmative nod. “Shall I escort you to the dining area?”

“If it’s not any trouble. I thought I should probably head back to my cabin and see if the girl who shares it has left to go eat yet. She was sleeping when I left and since she is rather thin, I figured that it would perhaps not do her much good to go without a meal.”

“I can call one of the other porters and have him stop by. Just tell me the cabin number you’re in and I’ll see to it that she has makes it to dinner.”

She dug in her pocket before showing him the keychain. Once he wrote down the number, he slipped the small slip of paper into the pocket of his jacket. “First I will show you the dining area, and then place the call.”

“Alright,” she said as they started to walk towards the door that led inside.

As they came in, the young crewman began to show her the various hallways and passages. Each one seemed to lead to a different part of the ship and she pondered how long it would take for her to find her way around the behemoth sized vessel.

“The disco is down that hall and up the stairs,” he explained with a casual wave of his hand. “They play live music every night.”

“That sounds like fun,” she said.

“Yes, and there is a movie theater that will play films in both English and German on deck eight. Tomorrow evening, I heard that they will play ‘East of Eden’,” he said.

“I heard that is a very good film,” she said appreciatively. “Of course, James Dean is in it, so it will no doubt be good. Most of the girls I used to work with simply adore him. Maybe I will go see it.”

“It’s not a bad film, I’ve already seen it twice, but I preferred Grace Kelly in ‘Rear Window’,” he said with a small chuckle. “There’s just something about watching an Alfred Hitchcock mystery on board a ship, I suppose.” He paused as they reached the door leading into the large open restaurant style room. “Here we are. If you are interested in movies, I am certain that the Cruise Director can give you a schedule of the movies they will be playing throughout the trip. Perhaps our paths will cross now and again as I am someone who spends every free moment taking in the latest movies.” He smiled at her as he started to take his leave.

“Thank you,” she said. “Oh, and can you tell me if there’s a telegraph office on board?”

“Yes, on deck three,” he said. “Do you need to send a message?”

“I will, but probably not until tomorrow sometime,” she said.

“That’s fine, if you need help finding it, just meet me tomorrow morning at eight thirty, I’ll be up on deck where we met and can take you there,” he said. “My name is Jan Peterson.”

“I’m Hannah,” she said freely.

“I’m pleased to meet you,” he offered a half salute. “But for now, I must leave you to get something to eat, and I’ll have someone notify your cabin mate about dinner.”

He walked off and once he rounded the corner and was gone, Hannah headed straight over to the buffet. Without so much as hesitating, she started to pile her plate with dumplings and bites of chicken.

Finishing, she retrieved a glass of wine and left the counter to go and find herself an empty table. As she sat down, her thoughts began to shift from blockbuster movies to the ring that had once belonged to her grandfather. She remembered it from her youth when he had been president of the University of Göttingen all those years ago. She had not seen the ring since before Anton had gone off to war.

_Is it the same ring?_ She asked herself, the thoughts drifting about her mind as she poked a bite of food with the fork and ate it. _How long did I spend looking at the ring back in the cabin? Two seconds perhaps. That was not enough time to ascertain if this was in fact the right ring._ Logic argued that there were probably thousands of men’s rings out there in the same fashion and Patty was a pretty girl who no doubt had a string of admirers.

Sighing, Hannah knew what was happening, she was getting caught up in flights of fancy, all the while imagining that this object had once belonged to her brother.

_Why did I even ask Jan about the telegraph office in the first place?_ She asked herself as she took in her last bite of dinner.

After several seconds had passed, she casually propped her chin in the palms of her hands as she rested her elbows on the table. Anton would no doubt get onto me for assuming too much about the ring, she thought. Perhaps it would be a good idea for me to find out more about Patty and her ring before I send him any news or information.

Sighing, she took a sip of her wine. He’s not really a romantic, she thought somewhat snidely. He’s a man who is steered by logic and motivated by facts. If I am going to reach him on that level, I better find out the whole truth before this ship reaches Hamburg.

“P.B.,” she whispered as she inhaled slowly and released the pent up breath. Instead of contemplating this further, she looked around the large dining room. It was slowly starting to empty out, and she figured they would be closing up very soon as Jan had predicted. Instead of contemplating whether or not she would get something more to eat, her thoughts continued to drift. If only she could confess that she was Anton Reiker’s younger sister and prepare Patty for the surprise that would greet her once they arrived at their destination.

“Hannah?” A voice emerged and she raised her head to see that Patty was standing next to the table.

“Hello, Patty,” she began. “Would you care to sit down?”

“I was going to get something to eat first. One of the porters stopped by our cabin and told me that if I wanted to eat, that I should come here and get something.” She cast a glance down at her empty plate. “What did you have?”

“Chicken and dumplings,” she said. “I’ve had better, but it’s better than what they had on the trip to New York. They must have improved over time.”

Patty nodded and went to retrieve herself a plate.

~~~~~

When the younger woman returned to the table, she carried a plate and glass that was filled with a similar wine as Hannah had been enjoying. As she sat down at the table, she stared blankly at the food before picking up the fork and started to stab blindly at it.

“You don’t eat a lot, do you?” Hannah asked after about five minutes of watching Patty practically forking the dumplings to death.

“I guess I’m too restless to eat,” the younger of the two confessed.

“I figured you were just tired,” Hannah commented trying to maintain a conversation. “You fell asleep while we were talking. I left the cabin so that you could get some rest.”

“I didn’t intend to kick you out,” Patty said as she took a deep breath and pushed the plate away. “This is nothing like what I’m used to when someone says ‘chicken and dumplings’.”

“You must possess a more refined palate than I have,” Hannah said smiling. “I once heard someone say that food was like fuel.”

Patty smirked all the while trying to conceal her amusement. “My friend, Ruth would most assuredly not agree with that summation. She could make some of the best tasting food in the world that would put these chicken and dumplings to shame. To me, this stuff tastes remotely like cardboard dipped in chicken bouillon.”

“How utterly appetizing,” Hannah mumbled, but a giggle emerged as she watched Patty take another tentative bite of the food.

“No, this is like sponge, not cardboard,” she laughed. “It’s chewy.”

“Are you sure you want to go to Germany, Patty? I am not sure if my fellow countrymen would know how to handle your sense of humor,” Hannah continued to giggle.

Without thinking, Patty’s attention abruptly shifted and she was left fidgeting at the thought. Hannah raised a good point, would she fit in there? Instead of commenting, she began to casually toy about with the ring that was still around her neck.

It could not be so bad as her lot in Jenkinsville, she eventually concluded as the elder of the two looked at her, her joking demeanor fading as she regarded the ring that hung down over Patty’s chest. Eventually, she motioned towards it. “Maybe I was right when we spoke earlier and you do have a boyfriend.”

“You mean this?” Patty asked as she dropped the ring and allowed it to fall back against her chest.

Hannah nodded. “Would you mind if I took a closer look at it? I would understand if you’d rather not, but I have a fascination with how people accessorize.”

Patty shook her head. “No, I don’t mind,” she said as she began to fumble about with the latch to the chain. She carefully removed her prized possession and handed it across the table to her new acquaintance.

Hannah took a deep breath as she felt the cool metal of her grandfather’s ring touching her hand. Trying to keep a nonchalant look on her face she nodded as she stared down at the inscription on one side of it. “The crest of the president,” she murmured under her breath. “That’s impressive.”

“You know of it?” Patty asked. This time her question demonstrated that she was somewhat intrigued by the knowledge of her new acquaintance.

“Yes, my family has been affiliated with the university for years,” she said honestly.

“How?” Patty asked.

“Let’s just say that I come from a pretty intellectual background. I studied there and the crest on your ring has the same indenture as the crest for the university.” Instead of elaborating, she turned the ring onto one side where the side crest was visible. She then inched closer to Patty and pointed with her pinkie finger to the symbol inside the crest of the President. “You see that symbol inside the crest?”

“The one that looks like a circle with a line through it?” Patty asked.

“Yes, that’s a Greek letter, it is called a ‘phi’ or in our alphabet a sound like a ‘p’. In German the word for President is ‘Prezident’. It sounds similar to the English word, but it starts with the same letter.”

“Why did they use a Greek letter for a German ring?” Patty asked.

“I don’t really know, my guess that since Greek is an older language than Germanic languages, it was used when they crafted the ring,” she said.

Patty took a deep breath. Anton had said that his grandfather had owned the ring before it was given to him. It was really a heirloom of the Reiker family. Maybe if she were to find Anton, she would be able to return it to him. Seconds later, Hannah’s voice brought her crashing back to the present.

“Whatever the case, Patty, it is very clear that that ring is very rare and I would suggest you hold onto it,” she said.

Patty nodded. “I will,” she smiled weakly as Hannah returned the object to her.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

That evening after everyone had left the restaurant, Patty and Hannah stood up with the intention of returning to their cabin.

The elder of the two was still thinking about the ring as well as the prospect of going with Jan to the telegraph office the following morning. She figured that this was all the evidence that she would need to prove to her brother that Patty was actually coming to Germany to find him. It was also more than apparent that the only one who was really unaware of the plans being made was the young woman who was taking this journey.

One thing was clear, Anton would be thrilled, she thought.

At that moment, it seemed obvious to both women that Hannah’s thoughts were about a hundred miles away. A quick glance in Patty’s direction indicated that she was still fiddling with the ring. A broad smile suddenly stretched its way across her face at the mere thought of conveying to her logical older brother what specifically had transpired.

Eventually, she broke the silence of the moment. “You don’t want to go to the disco or anything, do you?”

“I don’t think even loud music will keep me awake at this point,” Patty said honestly as she slapped her hand over her mouth and yawned. Finishing, she continued. “I suppose it’s been a pretty long day, and I’m ready to get some sleep.”

“As if you didn’t get enough earlier this evening,” Hannah said smiling slightly.

“I know, but somehow the feel of the air and the sound of the water makes me really tired,” she said honestly. As if to emphasize that point, she yawned again. “I rest my case.”

“Well, I’m not tired yet, so I’m going up on deck for a little while, I’ll see you back at the cabin later though. If you’re sleeping when I get back, I’ll try and be quiet.”

“Thanks,” Patty said with a slight nod. With a final wave, she walked back in the direction of the cabin, her eyes closing slightly as she walked.

After about five or so minutes, she reached the door that led into their small room, her eyes, by this time drooping shut. She wondered for a moment how long she would be able to remain standing before collapsing. Entering the room, she closed the door behind her. At that moment, she decided against showering and figured on doing that particular ritual first thing in the morning.

Taking a deep breath, she quickly retrieved her pajamas from the suitcase and got dressed for bed. The necklace that held Anton’s ring was still around her neck and she decided to keep it where it was. She knew that it was perhaps not wise to sleep with it on, but somehow it reminded her of him as well as how much she loved him. On this first night of her journey from America, she knew that she did not want be separated from the memories associated with it.

She could not help but remember the time when she had been a child and how the ring had become her most valued possession after he had left. She remembered how, during her youth, she had taken some pieces of tape and tried to wind it around the back part of the ring so that it would fit on her much smaller finger.

Patty pulled back the covers and allowed her weary body to sink down onto the bed. This was more comfortable than the bed at the YWCA in New York or David and Kathy’s sofa. It was comfortable, and everything smelled like freshly washed linins. Stretching out on the bed, she rested her head against the pillow as she reached for the single white sheet and red colored blanket. These, she pulled up to her chin.

Closing her eyes, she was reminded of the night when Anton had given her the ring. It had happened the night he left. Smiling, she could remember an almost ceremonial feel to that particular moment.

The only trouble was, after he had left her, she could somehow remember how her heart had shattered into thousands of pieces.

As sleep overtook her, she felt herself sinking away into a state of mind that was far removed from that, which she was now experiencing. The sounds of the waves suddenly gave way to the sounds of the ten fifteen train coming into the Jenkinsville train station, the horn blast filling her now seemingly empty ears…

~~~~~

_The sounds of the approaching train were almost deafening._

_Patty stood staring at the black locomotive, the steam rising from the top of it as though it was a great beast; a dragon emerging from its lair._

_She looked down at her clothing and noticed that she was dressed in a pair of shorts and a button down the front blouse. Very plain, but also her typical style, at least it was what she had worn during that summer after she had turned twelve. Strange how that time seemed to have come and gone only days ago, and now she was left standing along the alcove between the train tracks and the back side of her parents’ house._

_Looking down at herself, she realized immediately that she was much taller than she had been during that fateful summer. In fact, she was now a grown woman, her brown hair, wavy and hanging down over her shoulders in the same fashion as it had done during her preteen years. Today, the tangled tresses were somehow reminiscent of the time in her life when she had been hassled by her mother about her neglected appearance._

_As her gaze came to rest on her chest, she smiled as she noticed that she had breasts, not big and obnoxious ones like Edna Louise Jackson, but small, and dainty. This, like her hair somehow gave her a small semblance of pride. If there is such a thing as poetic justice, she thought with a slight smile, then that was it. She started to make her way towards the main street of town. In order to reach the main square, she had to bypass by the back yards of the neighboring houses._

_Soon, she managed to reach the center of town, her eyes taking in everything that was around her. Strangely how some of it seemed familiar and commonplace, while other aspects of it had been, sadly, forgotten._

_The town had not changed all that much, in fact, it was like a movie that had been played over and over again, only each time the quality had somehow faded into obscurity._

_Her parents store was on one side of the main street between the Sav-Mor Market and the Victory Café. The sign that adorned it was still painted in black with red highlights. Although it had been painted time and again, the sun’s rays had faded the dominant black to a strange shade between gray and brown._

_Fearlessly, she walked through the street and into the store. Like the rest of the town, the place had not changed all that much. In fact, it was still very much the same as she remembered. Sister Parker, the woman who worked at the store, was standing at the stationary counter as she had done all those years before._

_Her mother was away, and the place seemed void of patrons._

_For whatever reason, Patty continued to watch Sister Parker’s actions, her thoughts drifting as the saleswoman began to pluck imaginary lint from her day dress._

_Across the way, amidst the hats and other accessories, stood Patty’s father, Harry. She took a deep breath as she watched her father’s actions. He stood in a similar fashion as an angry preacher in a church pulpit on a Sunday morning. Instead of a bible, however, he held what looked to be a rolled up newspaper._

_Seconds passed and Patty could suddenly feel his steely eyed gaze turning until he was looking right at her._

_“How dare you show up here looking like that?” He snapped. “What have you to say for yourself?”_

_Patty took a deep breath. She knew from experience that there would be no ‘Hello; Patricia’, or ‘how are you doing, princess?’ coming from this man. After all, those niceties were generally saved for her perfect younger sister, Sharon._

_“I don’t know, maybe I didn’t feel like getting dressed up,” she found herself saying without thinking. “Why is that a problem?”_

_Harry’s face abruptly puffed up in overt indignation at her response. In fact, he clenched the paper even tighter as though he was going to lash out and strike her with it as though she had been a disobedient dog. Approaching her, she felt herself somehow able to stand her ground and not retreat as she had done so many times before._

_Before either of them could say or do anything, the bell chimed at the front of the store and they both listened as the door opened and Sharon walked into the shop, her phony gales of laughter filling the cluttered shop. Lucky thing, Patty thought, that distracted her father long enough so that he would not remember that he was actually yelling at her._

_Seconds slowly ticked by as Patty’s gaze shifted. At that moment, she was no longer looking at Sharon. Instead, she was staring at the man who was standing to her left. His eyes were gray flecked with blue, and his lips turned upward in an all too familiar smile._

_As Patty’s heartbeat quickened, she suddenly recognized the man who was ceremoniously holding Sharon’s arm._

_Her sister let loose another annoyingly tingly laugh, as she covered her perfect lips with her hand, a small diamond ring suddenly appearing on her left ring finger._

_Patty’s knees started to shake._

_“Anton!” She cried out his name._

_What was her little sister doing with Anton? She asked herself as she stared open-mouthed at them. Anton, instead of having aged as she had done over time, was the same as she remembered. How could I have aged and he didn’t? She asked herself. It did not seem at all fair._

_Horrified, she watched as Anton’s arm wrapped protectively around her perfect sister and she could feel the tears catching in her eyes. As they began to sting, she blinked several times as she found the courage to once more speak his name. “Anton.” She waited for him to respond to her words or even recognize her._

_When he did not, she continued. “It’s me…Patty.”_

_“You’re Sharon’s sister, I already know that,” he said, a trace of coldness in his voice._

_For whatever reason, he refused to look at her. Instead, he stared entranced at Sharon, her little sister smiling like she had just been crowned Homecoming Queen of Jenkinsville High School._

_“But, Anton, I wanted to tell you how I felt…”_

_“You always had time,” he said coldly._

_“But, I…” her voice trailed off as she looked at her father. “…I love you.”_

_“…You love him?” Harry Bergen’s voice interrupted her. “This is ridiculous. Instead of gawking at your sister’s betrothed, you should be happy for her.” He paused, the words dramatically sinking in. “After all, it’s not every day a young lady gets engaged…Of course, who would take you? Your mother was right all along, you never really cared about how you looked. Why should you be surprised that your sister would get married first?”_

_“…Marry…” Patty’s mouth opened and closed._

_After several seconds had passed, she looked at Anton, but instead of seeing someone who was familiar and loving, she saw an almost hypnotized look in his eyes. “…But, Anton, you can’t marry her…”_

~~~~~

“Anton, you can’t,” Patty mumbled in her sleep, the words laced in agony as the dream literally swallowed her whole. “Anton, please don’t do this to me…”

Her voice faded as she abruptly felt a pair of hands starting to lightly, but urgently, shake her.

“Patty, wake up,” the accented voice was insistent as it tried to rouse her out of the dream she was having.

“Anton…” She mumbled without thinking about what she was doing.

As she felt herself lulled out of the Bergen Department Store, she could suddenly hear the sounds of water as it once again slapped against the sides of the ship.

She was not in Jenkinsville after all, it had all been a dream…

…A horrible dream that somehow affirmed her most internalized fears about going to Germany.

What if Anton had gotten married? What if she was making a mistake even going there? What if she was too late? What if he had forgotten?

The questions seemed to completely rake havoc on her.

All that she knew was that there was something deep down inside of her that wanted nothing more than to steal a rowboat and head back to David and Kathy’s apartment in New York. She needed their advice, but she also realized at that moment that there was no turning back.

She was on her way to face the unknown.

~~~~~

Hannah took a deep breath upon hearing the younger woman’s utterances. She’s having dreams about my older brother, she thought with a slight smile. She must really care for him.

As she watched Patty come out of her dream state, she could not help but ponder how she would be able to keep all of the information she knew to herself. After all, she had come very close to allowing the truth to emerge when the two of them had spoken about the ring the night before.

It was also very clear that Patty was now afraid of what she would ultimately encounter once they had reached Hamburg. Taking a deep breath, Hannah could clearly understand those fears better than just about anyone else, she had encountered her own when she had made the decision to come to America in the first place.

Despite her misgivings, she gently pulled the younger woman into her arms and felt Patty’s head now resting against her shoulder.

This did not stop the tears that were falling freely from Patty’s eyes. “Anton…” she whimpered his name yet again, but instead of returning Hannah’s embrace, she gripped the ring that still hung from around her neck.

Hannah took a deep breath. It was clear that her brother’s ring was capable of providing some unspoken strength that Patty sorely lacked. Wordlessly, Anton’s sister began to stroke Patty’s hair.

‘P.B.’s family was the most horrid that I have ever seen’. Anton’s words still rang in her ears as she recalled the times when they would discuss his adventures during the war.

She smiled slightly as she thought of her older brother and remembered the guilt he confessed to feeling when he had returned home. He had felt more guilt than any living person should have to contend with, she thought sadly, and yet somehow, that paralleled what she was seeing with Patty.

Taking a deep breath, Hannah continued to watch as Patty tried to get her emotions in check. Eventually, she found her voice and spoke, her words filled with kindness. “Everything’s going to be alright, Patty. Whatever happened just now wasn’t real, you were dreaming.”

Patty shook her head as she felt the tears still stinging her eyes. She blinked several times as she raised her head and recognized that Hannah was still sitting on the edge of her bed. Patty could still feel her comforting hand on her shoulder. Every so often she could feel the touch blend away to a squeeze. As this hold loosened, the young woman backed out of the hold.

“I-I’m sorry I woke you,” she managed to speak, her voice cracking with emotion as she glanced around and noticed that it was still dark outside. As her eyes met Hannah’s, she realized that her cabin mate was dressed in a long sleeping gown and appeared somewhat disheveled.

“It’s alright,” she said smiling. “That must have been a pretty intense dream that you were having.”

“It wasn’t a dream, it was a nightmare,” Patty whispered.

“I see,” Hannah observed. “But, are you alright now?”

“I-I think so,” she nodded as the realization dawned on her that Anton and her sister were no longer present. At that moment, she was not certain if she was relieved by this, or distressed.

“You want to tell me what it was about?” Hannah asked.

Patty shook her head. “I can’t. I’m sorry I woke you.”

“It’s no trouble, Patty,” Hannah said with understanding in her voice. If this had been another situation with any other person, she probably would not have been this patient, but this was her brother’s friend, and she wanted to do whatever she could to help. Perhaps the best option was for her to provide a sympathetic ear. “Who you were calling out to,” she asked.

“Just a friend,” Patty said. “It was someone I knew a long time ago.”

“Sounds like this person was more than just a friend to you. You were calling the name ‘Anton’, and begging him not to marry her, whoever ‘she’ happens to be,” Hannah said.

“She is my younger sister, Sharon,” Patty whispered. “It’s just a stupid dream, probably doesn’t mean all that much at all. Let’s just forget it.”

“Perhaps it didn’t mean much, but you know, sometimes dreams have their ways of tapping into our greatest fears,” Hannah said casually. “You remember last night when I told you that my family has an intellectual sort of background?”

Patty nodded. “Yes.”

“Well, my mother had this vast interest in psychology. I could never really explain it, but she’s someone who never grows tired of reading books and trying to figure out why people do or think as they do,” she said with a slight smile. “Sometimes I really do miss her, but I know that I will see her and my father very soon.”

“You mentioned a brother,” Patty said.

“Yes, my brother,” she smiled. “He’s quite a unique individual. He’s had more experiences in his life than just about anyone I have ever known. At any rate, he moved to Hildesheim several years back and all he took was a bookshelf full of books and a mischievous cat named Minka.”

“You’re fortunate to have such a good family,” Patty mused. “I sometimes wish that I had that sort of luck.”

“Why?” Hannah asked. “What’s your family like?” She hoped that her answer would be more optimistic than what Anton had relayed, but Patty’s expression seemed to indicate that it would not contradict her brother’s words.

“I moved away from them some years ago because I couldn’t take much more of their abuses,” Patty said casually. “My father has been described by one of the girls I went to school with as being ‘sweet’.”

“But, he’s not, is he?” Hannah asked.

“No, he’s rather cruel and I don’t like him. He runs the store in Jenkinsville, Arkansas, where I grew up. My mother helps him there, but that is generally when she is not trying to become the oldest cover model for _‘Glamour’_ Magazine. When I was living in Atlanta, she and my father came to visit, and all she wanted to do was go shopping and he just wanted to sit in a big chair and smoke cigarettes. They spent more time doing their own things than visiting with me.”

“Sounds like a fun crowd,” Hannah remarked. “No wonder you’re traveling alone. How old is your sister?”

“She’s about two months shy of eighteen,” Patty said.

“And in your dream she was getting married?” Hannah asked.

“Yeah, she was marrying my friend, but she had never met him and was only five when I knew him,” she said.

“So you were warning your friend about your sister, right?” Hannah asked.

“It was just a stupid dream,” Patty said.

“Perhaps, but I think you should talk about it,” the older woman suggested. “It might save us both from having anymore sleepless nights.”

“I don’t know,” Patty said. “A week ago, I was in Atlanta and trying to find a job, and now I’m here, and I don’t know what to do next. I don’t generally have nightmares. At least not vivid ones like that one. Maybe I should just try and go back.”

“Why would you want to do that?” Hannah asked. “From what you have described, there does not seem to be that much to go back to. Perhaps you think that it would be safer for you or it will keep you from finally facing the inevitable.”

“I’m not sure,” Patty whispered as her eyes closed slightly.

“Well, you do have a week to think it over. If you decide when we get to Hamburg, that you want to go back, then you can probably arrange your passage straightaway and do that. The question is, do you really want to do that without trying to find out what motivated you to take the trip in the first place?”

In response to Hannah’s words, Patty covered her face with her hands and shook her head. “That’s just it, I don’t know. What if there’s nothing there for me and it’s just me having another bout of wishful thinking?”

“If that’s the case, then there’s nothing for you there, but it seems pointless to me for you to go all this way and not try. You’re not a quitter, Patty, that seems blatantly clear to me,” Hannah said. “Are you?”

“No,” Patty shook her head. “I don’t want to quit, but I just don’t know if it’s right.”

“Well, maybe you should be asking yourself if it is right for you. If you had stayed home where it was safe, what would have happened? You might have found a job but you would still be living in regret because you didn’t take the chance when you had it.”

“Regret?” Patty whispered. She raised her head to look at Hannah. No further words emerged from her.

Hannah took a deep breath. “I know that this is none of my business, but it seems to me that you have this journey that you are on. To give up before you discover the meaning behind it is not something that I would recommend. If you did decide to go back without trying, then you would return home feeling badly for not having seen the value of what it was you were doing.”

The truth in Hannah’s words hit Patty like the ten fifteen train. She lowered her head and nodded, the defeat washing over her. Sighing, she looked back down at the pillow that was half squashed on her bed. It was true, she would regret it and one thing was more than clear; Patricia Bergen was many things, but she was no quitter and she could never forget Anton’s words.

‘Never forget you are a person of value…’

Anton’s words rang in her ears as she bit down on her lower lip and once again clasped the ring. “I don’t want to quit,” she eventually whispered.

“Then don’t,” Hannah said as she glanced towards the port hole. “Perhaps we should try and get some more sleep, and then we can talk some more about this later.”

Patty nodded as she allowed herself to lie back down on the bed, her head being cradled by the pillow. Seconds later, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Hannah watched her for several moments, her thoughts literally drifting. This would be harder than she thought. After all, she did want to tell Patty the truth, but deep down inside, she knew that she couldn’t. Anton would have to be the one who would affirm what the truth really was.

Until the two of them were to be reunited, Hannah would have to be careful. I cannot afford to make anymore slips like I did when we were talking about the ring while in the restaurant, she thought as she returned to her bed and sat down.

Now she knew beyond any doubt what it was she would have to do.

~~~~~

The following morning, Patty opened her eyes and noticed that Hannah was gone. She probably went to breakfast, she thought as she shoved the covers aside and headed to the small bathroom to shower. As she showered, she began to think about what she would do to pass the time that day as there was a limited amount of activities on the ship. Perhaps they had a library and she could go and do some reading.

About ten minutes later, as she was getting dressed, the door to the cabin abruptly opened and Hannah came in. Her elegant style somehow filling the room. Showoff, Patty thought sadly as she ran her hand down over the gingham style dress that she was now wearing. Somehow, Hannah had a way of reminding Patty of all the things that she lacked.

This time, her cabin mate was donned in a lavender colored cardigan sweater over a white blouse, and a pleated skirt.

“Guten Morgen,” she spoke in German, her elegant sounding voice filtering through the room.

“Does that mean ‘good morning’?” Patty asked somewhat confused.

Hannah nodded. “Yes that’s what it means. I just went and had breakfast. I have some things that I need to contend with and thought I would get an early start today. You were still asleep, so I left you alone.”

“I’m sorry I woke you earlier,” Patty began.

“Don’t worry about it, Patty, it’s not a problem,” Hannah said. “I don’t require as much sleep as you apparently do. But, I do have to get going, I have to send a telegram to my brother with the specifics about our arrival or else I’d stick around.”

“That’s okay, I was just getting ready to leave myself,” Patty said. “I still haven’t managed to have breakfast yet.”

“Don’t eat the scrambled eggs,” Hannah said. “They looked rather strange, like someone put them in a blender and pushed ‘puree’. I suppose someone needs to tell the cook that lumps are acceptable for scrambled eggs.”

Patty cringed. “So noted.” She started towards the door but stopped when Hannah’s voice filled her ears.

“Listen, I was wondering if you wanted to get together later. I heard that they were going to play ‘East of Eden’. Maybe we could meet and go watch it together,” she said.

“In English?” Patty asked somewhat nervously. “My German abilities are sadly non-existent.”

“Of course, but if you want to learn some German, perhaps I can offer my assistance in the matter. I did my share of teaching the language when I was living in New York. Perhaps it might help you to find your way around when we get there.”

“That sounds great,” Patty said as the two women left he cabin and Hannah closed and locked the door. “I mean if it’s no trouble for you.”

“None at all and it might be a good way to pass the time,” Hannah said. “Do you have your key?”

Patty touched the side pocket of her purse. “Yes, I’ve got it.”

Hannah nodded. “Well then, I will see you later.”

Nodding, Patty walked the length of the hallway, but watched as Hannah disappeared through a doorway and was joined by one of the crewmen. Once they had disappeared, she walked slowly in the direction of the board restaurant where she and Hannah had eaten chicken and Dumplings the night before.

As she came into the room, the first thing she noticed was that the curtains were drawn to the side and other passengers were sitting throughout the room eating breakfast. The room smelled distinctly of eggs, bacon and pancakes.

Patty approached where the man was serving up fresh hot breakfast foods and she spoke. “I’d like some griddle cakes, please.”

The man arched an eyebrow at her request. “Sorry,” he spoke, his voice, like Hannah’s, carried a distinctive German accent.

“I’m sorry, I mean, pancakes,” Patty said.

The man nodded, but wordlessly set to work to prepare the requested item. ‘Griddle cakes’ was a term that Ruth always used to describe them, and that distinction somehow made Patty feel closer to her only friend back in Jenkinsville.

This of course brought her back to the dream she had had and the questions that were now literally ravaging her mind about Anton.

Perhaps Hannah was right and the week would grant her the time she needed in which to answer as well as find resolution to these questions.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

The town of Büsum was an ideal place to take a holiday.

As Anton pulled into the driveway to his holiday residence the following afternoon, he took a deep breath. He had already retrieved the key from the property owner and so all that needed to be done was for him to bring his luggage, food provisions, and Minka’s carrier inside.

Once he had managed all of this, he let his cat out of her extended confinement and spontaneously decided to go and take a walk along the seaside. There was a long pathway about twenty meters behind the apartment building that extended along a high dam that acted as protection from high tide. This was, perhaps the best thing in the world for him. He had been seated in his car for almost four hundred kilometers and most definitely needed some time out of doors.

As he was locking the door to the apartment, a boy named Jonas Kegel approached. Jonas was someone who knew Anton rather well, in fact his family owned the building where he was living during his holiday.

The boy approached and smiled. “Hi, Dr. Reiker,” he said as he pushed up the thick rimmed glasses, which concealed a pair of inquisitive brown eyes. “My dad said that you were coming back for a week. Did you bring Minka with you?”

Anton nodded. “Of course, she likes the seaside about as much as I do. I was going to stop by and ask if you would be interested in cat-sitting for me while I’m in Heide tomorrow. I noticed that they’ll be having a flea market and thought I’d go and have a look.”

“Sounds interesting,” Jonas mumbled. Of course, to the youth, it sounded about as exciting as a tetanus shot, but he was not about to admit that. “Maybe I could take her to the beach. Minka always liked to play in the sand.”

Anton nodded. “You know her well, just don’t let her get wet.”

“I won’t,” the boy promised. “But I still wish that I could have a cat.”

“I know, but if memory serves, your mother’s allergic to them and that would not be a wise idea. But maybe when you’re older and have a place of your own, you can get one. Minka is good company, and I’m sure she’ll love whatever attention you wish to provide her with. So cat sitting aside, how have you been doing?”

The boy smirked. “Fine, I guess, but six weeks holiday in the summer is not enough. It’s more fun to do chemistry in the bathroom than to have some teacher drone on and on about it.”

“I’m sure,” Anton said with an understanding nod.

“How did you manage to get through school without getting bored out of your mind?” Jonas asked.

“Good question, I’m not quite sure I managed that,” Anton chuckled. “So, do you have to write a report about what you did over summer holiday?”

“No, that’s kid’s stuff. This time they really hit us hard. We have to write a five page essay for German class on a question that we picked out of a hat.”

“What was your question?” Anton asked.

“My question is ‘who is your hero and why?’ The problem with that is I don’t have one. I mean, I know what one is, but I haven’t had any experiences that depict that,” Jonas shrugged his shoulders. “When I was a little kid, I used to think that my dad was my hero, but the more comic books I read, the more I realized that he was not. How heroic is a tax accountant anyway?”

“I’m not sure I can answer that one,” Anton said. “Would you like to hear about my hero? Maybe it will help inspire you.”

“You have a hero?” Jonas asked.

“Yes, I do, I call her P.B.,” he said.

“A girl? Your hero’s a girl?” Jonas asked but looked at Anton as though he was kidding. “I thought maybe you could be hero, being a doctor and saving people’s lives and all that, but how could you pick a girl?”

Anton’s smile never left his face, in fact, he began to laugh heartedly. “Why don’t you come with me on my walk and I will tell you about her. That is if you don’t have anything more pressing planned.”

“No, as long as I get back in time for dinner,” the boy said. “I just can’t believe that your hero’s a girl.”

Anton smiled. “There are a great many things that are not to be believed, but it doesn’t make them any less true. I think that you would be surprised to know that the girl who did this heroic thing was around your age at the time she did it and I was in my early twenties.”

“What did she do?” The boy asked.

“She saved my life,” he said, but motioned with his hand in the direction of the beach. “Come on let’s go down to the seaside, I’ll pay your way onto the beach. It should be nice since the tide’s about to come in. It would seem that we’ve both been stuck somewhere today and the fresh air will do us a world of good.”

The boy nodded as Anton led him towards the small kiosk and dug in his pocket. Extracting twenty pfennig from it, he handed two gold colored coins to the man inside. After he was given two small white colored tickets, they passed by the kiosk and were standing on a sidewalk that overlooked a grassy meadow.

As they were walking in the direction of water, Jonas turned and looked at Anton. “How did she save your life, Dr. Reiker?”

Instead of immediately responding, Anton took a deep breath. “How much do you know about the war?” He asked.

“I know what my mother told me and what they said in school,” the boy said. “I was just a baby when it happened, but I know that there were a lot of really terrible things happening during that time. My mother talked about how people hated Jewish people, burned books, and I just thought it was awful.”

“It was a dreadful time, and the Jews were never the enemies of the people like we had been told. You see, P.B. is Jewish, and she is one of the most special people I have ever known.”

“Really?” Jonas asked.

Anton nodded as he sat down on a bench and waited for the boy to follow suit. “So, what else did your mother tell you about it?”

“She said that the Americans would send us care packages and she thought it was very nice of them. She went on to say that we got warm clothing and food from them. She even got baby formula for me. She always confirmed how it was a terrible time for everyone. Why do you ask?”

“I don’t know if we ever spoke of it, but I was sent away to fight in the war,” Anton said. “I didn’t understand why at the time and somehow I still felt rather foolish about inquiring.”

“What was it like?” Jonas asked.

“It was dreadful and scary, and all those terrifyingly frightening words that could very easily be overused in describing such a situation. I saw men get killed daily in very frightening and brutal ways. That is until I was captured and then that form of hell ended and another form began. I found myself in Arkansas confined in a Prisoner of War camp.”

“They didn’t torture you or anything, did they?” Jonas asked.

“No, they behaved acceptably,” he said. “But, in the middle of summer, we had to pick cotton out in the fields. We might as well have still been fighting in the war because our enemy was no longer other men, but instead it was a force of nature. The blazing sun was causing men to pass out all around me. They finally decided that we would have to get field hats to protect ourselves, so they gave each of us two dollars, and took us into town. That was where I met her.” He smiled briefly at the memory.

“She had come into the store behind us after we had been brought in. I didn’t know who she was but I noticed that she was standing around watching everything happening. She wasn’t staring, she just seemed curious, like someone who had a thousand questions and no answers. Seconds later she approached where I was standing and asked if she could assist me. We got to talking and the first thing I noticed was that she was very inquisitive.”

“Like I am sometimes?” Jonas asked.

“Exactly,” Anton said.

“So what happened next?”

“After talking for a few minutes, I asked her what her name was, and she said ‘Patricia Ann Bergen’, but she made the point of telling me that I could call her Patty,” he said. “I then told her my name, and how she could address me.”

“So you became friends?” Jonas asked.

“Not immediately, as I had only spoken to her once, but I was quite intrigued by her,” he said honestly. “We talked for a few more minutes and then something caught my eye. It was this piece of flashy glass jewelry. I ended up buying it from her.”

“Is that how she saved your life? By selling you some worthless piece of junk?” He paused. “Pardon me for saying so, but that sounds about as heroic as my dad.”

Anton chuckled. “Perhaps it was, but there’s more to this story than just gaudy jewelry.” He took a deep breath as they found a bench and sat down. “Several days after buying it, I used it to pay off one of the guards. I gave him the impression that I came from a wealthy family and that my guaranteed freedom would be richly rewarded.”

“And he actually believed you?”

“Yes, he did, and some days after that, he took me beyond the gates of the prison camp and I was able to make good on my escape,” Anton shook his head. “Of course, if I’d have known what was going to happen next, I probably would have been safer back at the camp. But, I was beyond regrets and knew that I had to find the quickest way out of town. I don’t really recall the moment the guard let me on my own and I found myself standing along the side the railroad tracks, but that was where I was. The train was coming and I was going to try and jump on and let it whisk me away from town. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, I heard my name being called. I turned around and it was Patty. She was running towards me looking rather out of sorts, her arms waving about frantically. By the time she had reached where I was standing, she grabbed my hand and did not let go until the train had passed.”

“Were you scared?” Jonas asked.

“Yes, initially I was, but when I recognized her, for some reason, I wasn’t afraid any longer. Once she assured me that she wanted to help me, I was not sure if she was going to do that or turn me over to the authorities. At any rate, I looked at her and asked her what on earth she was doing. She told me that I would have to stay quiet and that she would take me someplace safe.” He took a deep breath. “Soon, I found myself in this very strange room that turned out to be an attic above the garage behind her family’s house. She told me that I could stay there until the end of the war and that no one else knew of the place.”

“She did all that?” Jonas asked. “She could have gotten into a lot of trouble.”

“Yes, that thought was constantly on my mind. I knew that if they discovered me hiding out there, that she could have been implicated. I stayed for a time, but then I came to the realization that it was too dangerous for her, so I left, but I could never forget what she had done for me,” he said.

“You said that she was fourteen, right?” Jonas asked.

“No, actually she was twelve,” Anton said. “Today, she’d be twenty-four.”

“Do you love her?” The boy asked bluntly.

“I don’t know, it’s been twelve years since I’ve seen her. I imagine that we’ve both changed a great deal since them, but I can’t forget her and I don’t ever want to try,” he said.

“Can’t you at least go back and look for her? I mean; my mom says that people usually can’t start a new chapter of their lives until they finish the previous one.”

“Your mother is very wise, and I know that I could try and I really do want to,” Anton admitted. “Right now, my sister seems rather convinced that P.B. is on her way here, but I’m more or less a realist about it and I won’t believe it until I see it.”

“You don’t want to be disappointed, right?” Jonas asked.

Anton shook his head. “No, I don’t.”

“I don’t envy you, but I do admire you,” the boy said honestly. “At least you gave me a great idea for my essay.”

“I did?”

The boy nodded. “Yes, and if you don’t mind, would you have any objections to me writing about you?”

“About me?” When the teenager nodded, Anton continued speaking. “But Jonas, I’m no hero.”

“You escaped a war and managed to get back home safely, that’s pretty heroic to me,” Jonas said. “I mean; just imagine what would happen if I wrote about your adventures, then you’ll be the most interesting person of the lot. I’m certain of it.”

Anton looked at the boy. “Thank you.”

Seconds later the two of them got up off the bench and they started to walk back in the direction of the apartment building. As they walked, the boy looked down at the watch that was wound around his arm, a groan emerging. “I have to go, dinner will be ready soon.” He paused. “Hey, why don’t you come join us? I’m sure my mother won’t mind, in fact, she’d be overjoyed since I know who I’m going to write about.” He grinned impishly as they passed by the kiosk and made their way back in the direction of the apartment building.

“I’d really like that, Jonas, but can we take a rain check?” Anton asked. “I am not certain that I would be such grand company. I really need to get some rest. It’s been a long day. How about if I come tomorrow? You can ask your parents tonight and then let me know when you come to take care of Minka. I imagine you are glad that it’s the weekend.”

Jonas nodded. “Okay, Dr. Reiker, then I’ll see you tomorrow.” With that the teenager waved and was gone.

~~~~~

Soon after his visit with Jonas, Anton returned to the apartment and unlocked the front door before stepping into the single room dwelling. The first thing he noticed was a small envelope lying on the carpeted floor. The whiteness of it was staring up at him and he leaned down to pick it up.

Apparently someone had dropped it through the mail slot at the bottom of the door. Blinking several times, he looked down at the flimsy envelope. Across the cover in stenciled writing were the words ‘Anton Reiker, Landstrasse 2, 2242 Büsum’.

This was the address to the apartment that he always took while on holiday, and whoever sent it must have known that he would be there. The only person who might have sent it was his sister. The rest of his family would have simply posted a letter to him through the conventional way.

Taking a deep breath, he opened it and pulled out what looked to be a pink colored telegram. Glancing down, he began to read the writing that graced the page.

**Anton,**

**Affirmed, it is P.B.** _(stop)_   
**Will be arriving in Hamburg on the 14th at 12.** _(stop)_   
**She’s afraid and doesn’t know anything.** _(stop)_   
**See you in a week.** _(stop)_

**Hannah**

Anton took a deep breath as he stared at the uneven stencil that was on the telegram. All this time, his logic had argued against the girl in New York actually being Patty. He wanted it to be her, but did not want to put too much hope in a twelve-year-old friendship.

Hannah had told him, and he had tried to conceal the possibility beneath his own sense of logic and reason. Now, for whatever reason, he was now feeling the extent of his nervousness at the prospect of seeing her again. It is her, his thoughts were literally reeling as he stared down at the script on the pink piece of paper.

Patty Bergen is actually coming to Germany to look for me, he thought as he allowed his body to collapse against the sofa cushions.

After several moments, he turned and looked at the cat that was now lounging comfortably at his side. “Minka, what am I going to do?” He asked as he stroked the cat’s back and listened as she began to softly purr.

For some strange reason, Anton Reiker was quickly becoming a bundle of nerves.

He remembered the conversation with Jonas, but still there was something almost unreal about the fact that Patty was on her way to find him.

“Will she be disappointed in what I’ve become?” He asked Minka.

Her head cocked to one side, as though asking him if he was crazy for raising such a question.

He smiled and nodded as he released a pent up breath. “You don’t really concern yourself with those kinds of problems, do you?” He placed the telegram on the sofa and got to his feet. “You’re just interested in having some dinner, aren’t you?”

As if responding to these words, the cat jumped down onto the floor and started towards the kitchen.

Smiling slightly, he got to his feet and went into the kitchen to retrieve a can of cat food from the provisions he had brought with him on this trip.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

The days passed quickly for both Patty and Anton. The anticipation that dwelled in both seemed to be overwhelming. When Anton was not spending his time with Jonas and his family, he was trying to sort out what his emotional ties were.

Patty, on the other hand, used the time to get to know Hannah better, all the while not knowing that she was Anton’s sister or what would happen upon arriving in Hamburg.

Of course, the dreams Patty was having seemed not to stop, in fact, instead of easing up on her nerves, they simply got scarier. She was starting to feel as though nothing she tried would ever get resolved.

As they drew closer and closer to the German docks, the fears and nervousness she carried seemed to grow by leaps and bounds.

The final morning of their voyage, Patty awoke. She knew that she was partially ready to feel solid earth beneath her feet, but at the same instance, she was also ready to get on the first ship that would head back to New York. She had even sent a telegram to her roommate in Atlanta saying that she was ready to return and try to pick up where she had left off in the job department. Melanie had responded only to ask her if she found Anton.

That particular message went unanswered.

What could she say? If she tried to explain everything to her roommate, it would cost a small fortune.

For her part, Hannah was doing whatever she could to help Patty through the painful aftermath of her dreams. While she had also managed to keep from telling the truth about who she was, the guilt at having kept this a secret haunted her mind. It was clear that the young woman was putting herself through a strange kind of psychological roller coaster ride. To add to the uncertainties, Hannah was now uncertain as to how much Patty would be able to stand before she went out of her mind.

On that particular morning, she was awake and packed when Patty woke up and crawled out of bed. The two women had been up at all hours of the night practicing conversational German. Hannah was pleased with how well Patty was doing with the basic constructs of the language, but it did not surprise her since Anton had often said that Patty was very intelligent.

“Guten Morgen,” Patty said with a yawn. As her gaze met Hannah’s, she received a reciprocating nod, thus indicating that she had said the two words correctly. With that recognition in mind, she smiled before retreating into the washroom to splash some cold water on her face.

Several moments later, she returned and began to pack her belongings.

“How did you sleep?” Hannah asked, thus switching back into her fluent English.

“Alright,” Patty said. “At least when I slept. I’ve been sort of nervous about today.”

“Understandably so,” Hannah offered. “Once you get packed, we can probably go.”

Patty nodded as she set about to getting dressed. “Hannah, when are we scheduled to arrive?”

“At noon. Jan said that it will take us about an hour to disembark and get through customs and pass control. Once we do that we can go and look for my brother. He has already sent a telegram back saying that he would be there to meet us,” Hannah said.

“And you’re sure he won’t mind driving me to Göttingen?” Patty asked.

“No, I mentioned you when I sent the first telegram, and according to his response, he doesn’t mind in the least.” She did not add that Anton’s response was etched in apt anticipation of their arrival.

“That’s a relief, but I still feel as though my presence could be construed as an inconvenience,” Patty confessed.

Hannah walked slowly over and rested her hand on Patty’s shoulder, the touch gentle. “Don’t worry, everything is going to be fine.”

Patty nodded as she backed away and finished packing her things in the suitcase. Straightening out she ran her hand down over the front of her dress as she looked at Hannah. She did not mention this, but she so envied her friend. She was so pretty and somehow this only added to her nervousness of going to find Anton. What if he viewed her as being as homely as she felt? Somehow, the grace and dignity that Hannah emanated was sorely lacking in her.

At the same instant, she knew that she would be in Göttingen that evening and there, she would have to figure out how and if she would even be able to find Anton.

If only the prospect of looking for him didn’t scare her half as much as it did.

The questions continued to whirl about in her mind, somehow making her feel much crazier than she already felt. After closing and locking her suitcase, she looked at Hannah. “Do I look alright?” She asked, her question somehow emerging out of the blue.

She had no idea why she was even asking this, as this was the sort of question her mother would raise instead of her. Contemplating this further, she felt a strange sensation empowering her as Hannah turned and looked at her, the confusion in the German woman’s expression completely apparent.

“Of course, you look fine,” she said.

“No,” Patty objected. “Just look at me and tell me that I don’t look like some sort of silly plowgirl,” she whispered.

“I’m sorry?” Hannah asked. It was clear that the German lady did not understand this word, and Patty was reminded of her first morning on the ship when she had asked for ‘griddle cakes’ and the man had given her a strange look.

Patty lowered her head. “Forget it.”

Hannah sat down on the side of the bed and looked at her. “Does this question have anything to do with the nightmares you’ve been having?” She asked, her question encased in astuteness.

Patty took a deep breath. “It’s nothing, don’t worry about it.”

“But I do worry. You are my friend and that’s what friends do,” Hannah said taking a deep breath. Releasing it, she allowed her next question to emerge. “You don’t think very much of yourself, do you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Just what I asked. Every time you look at me, I see something in your eyes that resembles pain, perhaps anger, maybe even envy. I either remind you of someone bad or make you think of something that you lack.”

“Hannah, I…” Patty started to speak, but she was abruptly cut off.

“…Look at me, Patty, and tell me what it is that you resent about me.”

“I don’t resent you…” her voice cracked, and she had to take several deep breaths before she could continue. “…I resent me.” Once these words were out, she lowered her head, her gaze now on her lap.

“Why?” Hannah looked at her. “I don’t understand.”

“I don’t know, I guess I just wish that there was something that I could do that might help me be able to look in the mirror and not despise what I see looking back at me.”

Okay, she thought; now I’ve said it. Instead of continuing, she got to her feet and started to heave her suitcase over towards the door. Before she could finish the task, Hannah went over to her and rested her hand on her shoulder. This caused her to drop the suitcase and stand motionless.

“Patty, you are not ugly like you think,” she said, her words simple. “You are unique, not common or ordinary; but special. The only trouble is, you have no doubt been told for so many years that you are the opposite. Believe me, you are a beautiful young woman and contrary to what others may have said about or to you, I think you have every right to be happy and successful.”

“It’s funny, but Anton once told me that I was unique,” she whispered. “He said that I was no ordinary garden flower.” The words were spoken more to herself than to her friend, but Hannah had heard them, and responded, her voice as soft and gentle as the breeze.

“Anton was right. You don’t have to dress in flashy clothing or adopt someone else’s style or behavior to demonstrate beauty. Hold onto your own uniqueness and don’t try to be something that you’re not.”

Patty took a deep breath as she allowed the wise words of the woman to sink in. She closed her eyes for several moments as she felt the tears stinging beneath the lids. Opening them against, she cast a glance towards the porthole. The first thing she noticed were the fishing boats in the distance, thus signifying that they were not too terribly far away from the coast.

After several moments, she looked back at her friend. “Hannah…I’m scared.”

“I know, I could tell that you were from the moment you started having those nightmares. It started with the one about your sister and Anton. I had this feeling that you’ve been thinking about that dream throughout the week. But, do you know what I think?”

“What?”

“I think you’re still in love with him, and that the closer and closer we get to Germany, then the louder that voice inside resonates. You are starting to realize the extent of what this journey means. But the thing is, this is your journey, Patty, and I know that it’s scary. I was afraid the first moment I stepped off the ship in New York and I wasn’t even looking for an old friend, I was just there. So, I can imagine you feeling apprehensive about what might be, or what could be.”

“What if he doesn’t want to see me?” She whispered.

“Then he’d be a fool,” Hannah said. “But, Patty, if he gave you that ring, then it must mean that you are a person of great value to him.”

As Hannah’s words washed over her, Patty found herself sitting down on the edge of the bed, her gaze coming to rest on the ring. After several seconds she raised her head. “W-what did just you say?”

“I said that if he gave you his ring, then it must mean that you mean a great deal to him,” she smiled gently as she quickly changed the subject. “Look, we haven’t much time and with your nerves going so crazy, it seems clear to me that this is all a bit overwhelming to you.”

Patty looked down at her plain gingham dress and then at Hannah. As she offered an insecure nod, she recalled all the conversations they had shared throughout the week. The friendship that sparked between the two of them had given her the courage to speak about many aspects of her life. Yet, she still managed to refrain from telling Hannah the conditions behind how and where she had met Anton.

While she figured that Hannah would have probably understood her past far better than anyone else, she still refrained from talking about it.

At that moment, she recalled what had happened when she had told David about Anton. He had helped her to accept that she was still in love, but now these past days had proven beyond any doubt that Patty’s fears now rested in how Anton was going to react to her. She was, after all, intending on showing up in his life after a twelve year long separation.

This could truly knock things for a loop with him, she thought dismally.

At that moment, Patty was monumentally grateful that Hannah was trying to teach her some of the German language. This indicated to her that they would soon be parting company and Patty would be left to contend with her future on her own.

It was also more than clear that she felt somewhat torn about having to say ‘good-bye’ to the elegant and kind German lady. Once they would reach Göttingen, Hannah would, no doubt, return to her family, and Patty would be left on her own to find Anton all by herself.

It would be the typical story of her life, in that another friend would ultimately pass in and out of her life.

“I need more ‘hello’s’ and less ‘good-bye’s”, she eventually whispered under her breath.

“I beg your pardon?” Hannah spoke.

“Nothing,” Patty whispered. “I was just thinking aloud.”

Hannah nodded as she cast another glance outside through the porthole. “I think we should start getting our things out into the hallway. They’re going to want us out of the cabin so they can start cleaning for the next passengers. Or are you going to try and go back?”

The question was blunt and to the point, but she was not ready to give up. After all, if she did go back to New York, what would she tell David and Kathy about this adventure? That she chickened out at the last possible moment before she even stepped foot on German soil? That would make her feel more foolish than she already felt.

Of course there was no denying the challenging undertone in Hannah’s voice, which Patty noticed immediately. However, instead of giving in to her fears, she shook her head assuredly. “I have to try,” she said softly. “I’m afraid, but I don’t want to be a coward.”

Hannah nodded but retrieved her suitcases. “You’re anything but a coward. For what it’s worth, I think you’re very brave.”

“I’m not sure about that,” she admitted softly. “But, thanks for the vote of confidence.”

At that moment, the boat lurched forward and the two women could sense that it had stopped. Patty glanced down at the watch on her arm. It read half past eleven. She then looked at Hannah. “Have we arrived?”

“I don’t think so, but we are getting close. I noticed that there were several more of those fishing boats out here, so maybe the ship stopped so as to navigate around some of them,” she said and pointed towards a large looking barge that was stationary on the water some three hundred and fifty meters away. “I’m surprised that we see so many of them at this hour. The fishing must be good, as they are usually only out during the early morning hours.” Hannah placed her cabin key on the dresser.

Patty fished hers out as well and followed suit while Hannah grabbed her luggage. Seconds later, she retrieved her belongings and the two women left the cabin and stepped out into the corridor.

At the same moment, the other passengers were emerging from cabins as well and all of them were making their way towards the stairs that would lead up and out of the large cruise ship.

As they walked, Hannah looked at Patty. “As I told you inside, I sent a telegram to my brother several days ago. If we get separated while going through the controls, just wait for me at the other end of the customs checkpoint, alright?”

Patty nodded, but instead of speaking, she could feel herself abruptly being shoved along with the groups of people.

As she and Hannah moved through the narrow passageways with their suitcases, she started to wonder why it was that she was in such a hurry to get off the ship in the first place.

Now, after all the doubts and uncertainties had enveloped her, she suddenly knew that this was her moment of truth. When she glanced over towards Hannah, all she received was an encouraging smile.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

At the same time that Hannah and Patty were getting ready to get off the ship, Anton had slowly pulled his car into a parking space along the fence that separated the water from dry land. As soon as he had come to a stop, he abruptly cut the motor.

After going nearly two days on nothing but coffee and adrenaline, he was now more than ready to see Patty. Of course to anyone who was to look at him, it was clear that he was very nervous.

The days since he had received his sister’s telegram, Anton had tried to keep himself busy. At times he succeeded, specifically when Jonas or his family was around to distract him, but other times, he sat alone in the apartment and worried needlessly about what would happen once he and Patty had been reunited.

What would happen after this fateful day? He pondered. Would either of them be able to pick up where they had left off twelve years ago?

Glancing towards the rearview mirror, the first thing he noticed was that he was somewhat disheveled. It stood to reason as he had rolled down the window for the drive from Büsum to the harbor. Now his overall stance was rather windblown.

Anton had grown to dearly love the feel of the breeze as it wafted against his face. Somehow this depicted an element of freedom that he never took for granted. Of course, he was remained surprised at how he could live in a landlocked town like Hildesheim, when his fondness for the seaside could not be abated.

It was for this reason that his leaving the seaside for his more landlocked residence was generally hard for him. On this specific day, however, it was also manifested in a strange mixture between excitement at seeing his friend again and difficulty because he did not know what was going to happen once he did.

His attention diverted back to the present moment and he manually rolled up the window, thus leaving a two centimeter gap. This was so that Minka could get some fresh air while he was inside. He then shifted his attention until he was looking at his reflection in the rearview mirror. Although he could not see much, he could tell that his hair was completely disheveled. Reaching over, he opened the glove box and pulled out a simple black colored comb.

With this object now in his hand, he began to brush it through his hair. As he finished, he looked at his reflection in the mirror and nodded as he cast a glance towards the backseat where Minka was still lounging in her carrier.

“Well Minka,” he muttered under his breath. “It looks like this is it.”

He returned the comb to the glove box and slammed it shut. Instead of getting out of the car, he remained seated, his thoughts somehow shifting back to the last night he and Patty had seen each other. He smiled as he recalled how he had given Patty a kiss just before leaving. He had told her that he loved her, and in his own way, he was going to miss her.

There was no fooling anyone at this point, because he really did miss her.

He missed her so much that his heart ached.

During the past week, ever since he had received Hannah’s telegram, he reached the daunting conclusion that what he had done was put his entire life on hold because of what he still felt for her. She must really care for me to have come all this way, he thought sadly. At that moment, his thoughts were now going rather crazy, but this did not deter him. He slowly got out of the car.

Before he closed and locked the door, he turned and looked at his cat. She had raised her head only slightly, but seemed at best, disinterested in what her human companion was thinking or doing.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can, Minka,” he eventually whispered.

Standing upright, he pocketed the keys and started to make his way across the parking lot, his eyes taking in the large cruise ship that was now slowly pulling up to the dock. That’s their ship, he thought as he cast a glance down at his watch. It was now five minutes before twelve and he had made it there in time. That was rather surprising since he had only left Büsum an hour and a half ago.

Regardless of how long it had taken him to get there, Anton knew that that he would still have to wait for some time before Patty and Hannah were due to come out. He recalled how it took close to an hour before he was able to leave after his own return from North America.

Entering the building, he walked over to a kiosk and bought a copy of the _‘Hamburger Morgenpost’_. Once he held the small newspaper in his hands, he started to slowly make his way towards the sliding doors that the two ladies would eventually be emerging from.

As he crossed the room, he noticed that there were already a number of people standing around waiting. Some of them were carrying signs with names on them while others simply nursed cups of overpriced coffee and read newspapers or books. Looking around, he noticed that many of the chairs were already occupied, but finding a vacated one, he quietly lowered himself onto it and started to wait.

After several minutes of reading the same sentence three or four times, Anton reached the conclusion that he would not be able to concentrate on reading much of anything. His nerves were leaving him somewhat frazzled. Now, he knew that he was too anxious to even focus his energy on the latest news or the scores from the previous day’s football matches.

Casting the paper aside, he pulled a plastic wrapped piece of candy from the recesses of his pocket. Extracting it from the wrapper, he popped it into his mouth as he returned the plastic to his pocket.

Taking a deep breath, he stared at the door while his thoughts continued to drift. The newspaper was now completely forgotten as a steady stream of people began to trickle out of the confines of the customs room.

~~~~~

The time seemed to be dawdling along just as slowly for Patty as it was for Anton. When the ship finally did come to a complete stop, she soon felt herself once again being shoved along the passageway along with the other passengers. It took close to an hour to reach the gate that would ultimately bring her onto foreign soil for the first time in her life.

Making her way slowly along, she clasped her suitcase handle even tighter in her fist. Casting a brief glance around, she discovered that she and Hannah had, in fact, gotten separated. They had not even disembarked the ship and already her friend was gone and she was alone.

Instead of cursing her misfortune, Patty remembered Hannah’s suggestion and continued to follow the crowd towards the ship’s exit.

The warmth of the German summer met her as she disembarked and walked along a large wooden pier that had metal railing on either side. Eventually, she reached a cement pathway. This was about two meters wide and extended into the belly of a white colored building covered with glass. As she came closer to the entrance, a man stood checking the passports and tickets of the passengers.

She continued to walk until a small line formed. Pulling out her passport and ticket, she waited until she reached the front of the line. The man casually checked her ticket stub as well as her passport before thanking and waving her through.

Once inside, the first thing she felt was a humid sort of air permeating the entire corridor. After a quick stop at the washroom, she found herself following the crowd to yet another group of lines.

The signs above her head were in both English and German, so she was able to find the right line for foreign nationals. Now that she had been separated from Hannah, this convenience somehow saved her from having to stop and ask another person which line she needed to be in. Finding the correct one, she waited yet again. Eventually, she found herself passing through the line without any trouble.

Upon reaching the window, she extended her passport to the man dressed in the olive green colored uniform. As soon as he stamped the passport, he returned it to her and she moved along through another crowd of people until she reached the customs room.

Around this place, several people were standing and inspecting opened suitcases. Another uniformed man pointed to her and motioned to her to come over to him. Heeding his silent command, she made her way over, confusion now lining her face.

“Have you anything to declare, Fräulein?” He asked in somewhat broken English.

“Declare?” She asked with overt confusion and wide eyes.

His stern expression melted away and he offered a half smile. “If you have nothing, then you should just go through that door over there.” With those words, he waved her through the glass covered doorway. “Enjoy your stay,” were his parting words.

“Thank you,” she offered weakly and with her suitcase still in hand, she exited the customs room through a sliding translucent glass covered door. Stepping out into the room, she could see that all sorts of people standing around waiting. This corridor had led her into a very large open reception area.

Nervously, she made her way to the side of the room and waited for Hannah to come out and join her. She was starting to get nervous as to whether or not her friend would even be able to find her. The masses of people looked to be as thick as fleas and she was now stuck in a strange land without any idea of what to do next.

After about five minutes of waiting, her friend approached where she was standing, her eyes meeting hers. Relief washed over her as Hannah approached.

“I see you managed without any problems,” she said with a pleased smile. “I told you it would be easy.”

“Yes, but I was a bit worried that we wouldn’t be able to find each other again. Things were rather crazy, and I was pondering what I was going to do if we didn’t.”

“I know, I was a bit nervous too, but these mob scenes do generally disassemble after awhile. I figured that you wouldn’t have left until we found each other again,” Hannah said.

“I wasn’t sure,” Patty admitted. “The man at the door seemed nice. I mean; he discovered that I couldn’t really understand German all that well and he just waved me through,” she said. “It was a lot easier than I thought it would be.”

“Yes, the customs people usually don’t ask you to open your suitcase unless you look suspicious,” Hannah said as they made their way over to a group of seats. Motioning towards them, she watched as Patty sat down. “Why don’t you sit down? I’m going to go and see about finding my brother in this mob. My guess is that it would be much easier for me to find him if I don’t have to drag all this stuff along with me while I’m looking.”

She did not add that she wanted to speak with Anton before Patty was to see him. There were some things that she simply did not want to elaborate too intently on.

Patty nodded but watched as Hannah made her way between the groups of people. She seems the expert at navigating her way around here, she thought as her friend’s familiar form once again disappeared in the crowd.

Once Hannah was gone, Patty’s attention diverted to her passport. After looking at the stamp in the booklet for several seconds, she slipped it back into the confines of her purse and settled in to wait for Hannah to return with her brother. Strange, she thought, in all this time, Hannah never even mentioned her brother’s name.

Dismissing that particular observation, she raised her head and started to look around the large reception area. Couples were kissing and friends were embracing, yet this somehow made her feel alone.

Everyone seemed to be in a group while she sat pondering what was going to happen once she had reached Göttingen. Perhaps Hannah and her brother would at least bring her to a hotel or some place for lodging.

Closing her eyes, Patty allowed herself to drift off into her own contemplations. She had started to feel as though she was now in a place that was exotic and different, yet the loneliness seemed remotely the same as it had been when she had been in America.

While this was, indeed, a far cry from Jenkinsville, and even Atlanta, there was still a feeling of isolation manifested in her that somehow seemed, if anything, universal.

~~~~~

Away from where Patty was seated, Hannah began to scan the crowd for the familiar dark hair and matching blue gray colored eyes of her older brother. It took some time, but when at last she found him, a broad smile suddenly stretched across her face. On the one hand, she was glad to see him, but on the other, she knew that the anxiety that both he and Patty felt would soon be over.

Anton was seated and staring transfixed at the glass door as she reached where he was seated. She could tell instinctively that he probably had about as much on his mind as Patty did. Instead of waiting, she made her way over to him and sat down in the empty chair just to the left of him. “Hello stranger,” she said, her voice a soft purr as she reached over and touched his shoulder.

Anton abruptly turned his head and when he saw his sister, his expression broke into a wide grin. “Hannah!” He spoke her name and jumped to his feet. Once she was standing as well, he pulled her into the biggest hug that he could muster. It was so good to see her, he thought as he buried his face against her shoulder.

“Hi Anton, boy am I glad I found you, it’s a regular mad house in here!” She said happily. “I wasn’t sure how long it would take me to find you in this crowd.”

Anton nodded as their embrace loosened and he started to look around where they were standing. When he noticed that neither Hannah’s belongings or the young American was not with her, his expression shifted from happiness to that of concern. “Where is P.B.?”

Hannah pointed, “I left her with the stuff. She’s on the other side of the room waiting for us. I wanted to tell you a few things before you approach her. Anton, you got my telegram and I told you that she was nervous and afraid of what would happen when she got here. She has no idea that you are even here, much less that you are my brother.” She shifted her gaze and stared across the room.

“The thing is, I left her over there so that I could come and find you. I figured that I should let you know what had happened during the week when we were sharing a cabin on the ship. The thing is, I figured that it might be better for both of you to be alone for a few minutes as opposed to my hanging around.”

“It’s amazing that you somehow managed to keep all of this a secret from her,” he said with traces of awe in his voice. “How ever did you manage?”

“I’m not sure,” she said. “There were moments that I wanted to tell her everything, especially during those moments when she was afraid. The thing is, even now, she’s still dealing with uncertainty about why she was taking this trip in the first place.”

Anton nodded, but instead of responding, he started to slowly walk over to where Patty was seated and waiting. Before he could get completely away from Hannah, she called out to him. “Wait!”

He stopped and turned around as she continued speaking. “Before you go over there, you need to know that she really does care for you, Anton. Although I don’t know what her hopes or intentions are, I think she is afraid of what may or could possibly be. At one point, she was even talking about going back instead of trying to find you.”

“Going back?” He asked softly.

“She’s frightened. Not of you, but instead of what she might discover. She was having dreams that you had gotten married and other such things. I couldn’t help get her beyond her worries, but you have to know that she is extremely apprehensive about all of this.”

“Then that means that she’s just as nervous as I am,” he said softly. “I’ve had a lot of time to think during this past week and some of the conclusions I reached might surprise you.” He paused. “Do you remember Jonas?”

“Yes, he’s the boy from Büsum, the one whose parents own the building we always stay at when we go there on holiday,” Hannah nodded. “What about him?”

“He said that his mother always said before one could start a new chapter on his or her life, then one must complete the previous one,” he said. “You always asked me why it was I never got married or got involved in a lasting relationship. Well I suppose the truth was to eventually emerge. Patty is the reason.”

“So what you’re saying is that you still love her,” Hannah affirmed softly with a nod of her head. “Then it’s time for you to go to her. She’s waited long enough for this moment.” She paused as she approached her brother and rested her hand once more on his shoulder. “You both have.”

“I’m nervous,” he confessed.

“I know,” she said. “I’ll give you some time.”

He nodded but instead of speaking further, he started to cross the room in the direction of where Patty was seated.

Coming closer, he noticed that she seemed lost in thought, her head was bowed and her arms draped across her body. Yet, the first thing about her that he noticed was the ring.

His ring was dangling from a thick gold chain and resting casually against the neckline of her dress.

Seconds passed and he found himself standing directly in front of her, his palms now moist. Despite his being nervous, he ran them down the front of his clothes as he regarded the young woman who was now seated in front of him. Her head remained lowered, so much so that he could only see the top of it. The wavy brown locks of hair hanging lazily down over her shoulders, thus framing her face.

Even with him standing less than a meter away from her, she still did not notice his presence.  
It was at that moment that he swallowed his apprehension and spoke, the softness of his voice filling the room. “P.B.?”

~~~~~

As the sound of someone speaking her initials could be heard, Patty instinctively shook her head. She had somehow memorized the sound of his voice and figured that she had once again been hurled headfirst into another cruel flashback.

At that moment, it seemed abundantly clear that she was fighting against her conscience, which was screaming at her to open her eyes.

“Patty, it’s me,” Anton’s voice emerged yet again, the soothing cadence of it abruptly filling her ears.

With her eyes still closed, she could somehow feel herself being hurled back twelve years to the time when they had left his hiding place for the last time. They had walked through the darkness and there, on the border between her parents’ property and the train tracks, they had said good-bye.

At that moment, time seemed to stand still for her, the voices of the people in the large room had faded away until there were only two people remaining.

Patty slowly allowed her eyes to open to see the silhouette of a man in front of her. At the very same moment her eyes were adjusting to the light, she slowly stood up, her legs wobbling about as though they were of the very same consistency as a bag full of rubber bands. For whatever reason, she knew that she did not even have to raise her head to know who was addressing her.

It’s Anton, her thoughts were starting to reel about as though she was seated on a carousel that was now careening completely out of control.

It was just as I prayed, God went and sent Anton to me.

But how is that possible? How could he have known that she would even be here?

At that moment, and for whatever reason, Patty had convinced herself that she was stuck in the middle of another silly daydream. It was similar to the ones that she had constantly had after Anton had left. They consisted entirely of the images she had once concocted in her mind over the course of the last decade – specifically questions of ‘what if’ and ‘what could be’.

After what seemed like an eternity, she licked her lips. Although she could still not trust herself enough to look beyond his shadow, she knew that she was frightened. Actually, frightened did not even cover it. She was terrified – terrified at the prospect of raising her head and discovering that the universe was, once again, mocking her. For that reason alone, she could not force herself to even make eye contact with him. All that she could see at that moment was the brownness of his shoes as they were being kissed by the blueness of his dark trousers.

Swallowing, she slowly allowed her head to raise, her eyes now taking in his overwhelming presence. By the time she could actually see his face, the still small voice inside of her was yelling and saying that this was all real and that she should, at least, say something.

It was real and now a very familiar person, albeit several years older than she remembered, was standing before her. She took in his appearance, somehow the same as what she remembered. He was dressed casually, the blue colored shirt reminding her of the one she had given him all those years ago. The H.B. initials were gone, but that did not matter in the slightest. This moment was a far cry better since she did not have something there that reminded her of her father anyway.

She continued to take in his other attributes. His hair was a shade darker than what she remembered, the softness of it somehow lying lazily over his brow and beckoning her to reach out and touch it. Yet, what made her remember everything that had happened were his eyes. Those eyes that had always been filled with so much love, wisdom, and insight.

They were exactly the same as she remembered and now those same gray colored orbs were regarding her with all the unconditional love and kindness that she remembered and yearned for.

Wordlessly, she covered her mouth with her hands, the surprise and shock washing over her. She could see that his lips were now curved upwards, his perfect teeth showing as he smiled down at her.

She remembered when she had internally called him a ‘showoff’, it was right after the experience with her hair being uglified by Miss Reeves back in Jenkinsville. The analogy of him being the prince and her being the plowgirl came back and hit her like a runaway train. Of course, now none of that mattered, because all she was capable of doing was to stare.

_I must be dreaming,_ she thought to herself, _this can’t be happening._

Before she could talk herself into believing even more of those psychological riddles, she suddenly felt the softness of his hand as it came to rest against one side of her face. His fingers were now lightly stroking her face, but no words were spoken. He seemed to be giving her the time she needed to contend with the wayward emotions that now consumed her.

His touch was tangible, she thought as the skin that covered her left cheek began to tingle with unabridged excitement.

He was actually there.

Instead of speaking, she slowly raised a weary hand and touched where his now rested. As her hand brushed against the softness of his fingers, she could feel that he had turned his around so that he could intertwine his fingers with her own.

The reality of the moment washed over her. This was real. She was standing in front of and looking up at him.

“A-Anton,” she managed to speak his name, her voice cracking with emotion.

Before he could so much as respond to her utterance, her knees buckled and she sank to the floor, the hold he had on her hand falling away as she collapsed in front of him.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Anton watched this reaction before getting down on his knees in front of her. “This must be such a shock for you,” he muttered softly under his breath as he pulled her limp body into his arms and tried to move her over to a nearby group of chairs. After some moments had passed, he managed. Carefully, with his hand still holding hers, he seated himself beside her and allowed her head to gently rest against his shoulder.

Taking a deep breath, he looked down at her unmoving form. Many times he had seen patients in an examination room pass out, but to see a woman simply lose consciousness in the middle of a reception area struck him as unusual. Of course, Patty was one of the most unique people he had ever met.

Looking down at her, he was suddenly hurled back to a time when he had seen Patty’s father beating her unmercifully until she had passed out. Never in his life had he witnessed a man hitting a woman, and this was far worse, because Harry Bergen had actually hit his own child. Somehow this drew him back to the time when he and Patty had shared that dangerous summer friendship.

A feeling of overwhelming love washed over him as he brushed his hand through her hair and spoke, his words laced in regret. “You truly had no idea that I would be here, did you?” As soon as these words had emerged, he turned his head slightly and allowed his lips to brush against Patty’s forehead.

Not daring to do more than just that, he waited for several moments for her to stir.

When she finally did, he watched as she slowly opened her eyes to feel him holding her hand tightly in his.

Licking her lips, she tried to find her voice in order to speak. When she finally did, her voice was weak. “A-Anton,” she whispered his name for the second time.

“Yes,” he whispered as he pulled her against him, his hand moving from hers until it was lightly stroking one side of her face.

As he was doing this, she realized that she not know or care what his feelings might or might not be towards her. His actions showed her that he still cared, and perhaps that was all that she really wanted. He was as glad to see her as she was to see him and now they were together. The feeling that he was holding her in his arms felt just as wonderful as she remembered.

“It’s really you,” she whispered as she pressed the side of her face against his chest. Beneath the fabric of his shirt, she could hear the sound of his heart beating. As the sounds of it resonated in her ear, this somehow reaffirmed to her that he was there and this was not a dream. He’s alive, she thought to herself as she allowed her arms to wind their way around him and hold on with all her might. There, she was able to find herself completely engulfed in the sweet scents of breath mints and aftershave.

As Anton returned the gesture, the tears that had been caught in her eyes had now streamed down over her face and meshed against the fabric of his shirt.

For his part, Anton remained where he was, holding and feeling her emotional release. After several moments had passed, he backed away from her, his hands now cupping her face and his thumbs wiping the moisture from her cheeks. “You still cry more noisily than I,” he whispered with laughter in his voice.

She smiled slightly, as she remembered those same words the night they had said ‘good-bye’. As she tried to blink back the tears, she noticed the stream of moisture that now lined his face. Still unable to find the words to speak, she tried without any success at looking away so that she could make a last ditch attempt at composing herself.

Instead of allowing her to look away, he carefully captured her face in his hands and tipped it up so that he was looking into her familiar brown eyes. Wiping his thumbs gently across the contours of her face, he spoke, his voice etched in emotion. “I would never have believed it, but you’re really here.”

Nothing emerged from her. In fact, she could neither think nor speak. Even the act of breathing was difficult. At that moment, all that she was even capable of doing was allowing her fists to clench the folds of his shirt and hold on without ever letting go. It was abundantly clear that she was fearful of letting go. If she did release him, then he would no doubt disappear just as he had done before. If that were to happen, then she knew that she wanted to be with him no matter what.

To Patty, Frederick Anton Reiker was now her life raft.

He paused for a moment before pulling himself slowly out of her hold. When she refused to release his shirt, he lovingly moved his hands so that they would rest atop her clenched fists. “It’s alright, Patty, I won’t leave you again,” he whispered. “I couldn’t.”

Looking down at her, it was clear that Hannah’s telegram was still on his mind. She had written that Patty was frightened, and although he knew that she was now a grown woman, this was anything but an easy situation for her to contend with. Patty still harbored the same insecurities that she had carried about when she had been a twelve-year-old girl.

Eventually, her questions won out and she allowed herself to reluctantly back away from him. Instead of maintaining contact with him, her fingers sought the comfort that was manifested in his ring as it dangled from around her neck.

“H-how d-did you find me?” She eventually whispered, her voice trembling.

“That’s something that perhaps I ought to explain to you,” he said in a similar manner. “You see, Patty, Hannah, the lady you met on the ship – she’s my sister.”

“Y-your sister?” Patty whispered.

“Yes, and from what I was able to understand, she overheard you asking Hildegard about me at the Goethe Institute in New York. That was the day before you were scheduled to leave to come here. Hannah decided at that moment that she would do whatever she could to help you find your way here.”

“How could she be your sister?” She asked meekly.

He smiled. “Don’t you remember when I told you I had a sister? It was when we had spoken just after you brought me to the hideout. I told you that she was three years younger than me and how I never had time for her. Today, we are very close.”

“I forgot that part,” she whispered more to herself than to him.

“No matter,” he said simply. “One cannot expect you recall everything that was said.”

Patty bit down on her lip, all the while not certain as to what she should say or do.  
Instead, he spoke, his voice laced in sincerity. “You know, you’re still beautiful just like I remembered.”

She raised her head so that she could regard him. “Me?”

He nodded, his gaze never faltering.

“Anton, why didn’t Hannah tell me?” She whispered.

“Perhaps she wanted me to tell you instead,” he smiled gently at her. “In all honesty, I think she figured that you would perhaps not believe her. Sometimes coincidences have their ways of being a bit too coincidental.”

“Maybe,” she whispered, but something made her want to look away. She was not going to admit what his absence in her life had done. She felt insecure and fragile, both feelings she figured had left her when she had grown up.

He took a deep breath as understanding washed over him. Somewhere in all of this confusion, it became clear to him that Patty needed him as much as he needed her. “Did you know you saved my life?” He eventually asked. Without being able to stop them, the tears began to sting his own eyes. “I asked myself so many times during the past years how I could have left you alone.”

Patty said nothing, instead she stared at his hand as it held tightly to hers. It was no mistake, it had been years, but now, despite her feeling his touch, it somehow reminded her of the night of his departure. Instead of feeling like years had passed, it somehow felt like weeks or months.

As this realization hit her, a small smile touched her lips, but when she tried to speak, she could not. The words she wanted to say to him were locked inside and she did not know how to let them out.

After all, he was the reason for all that she had done, and now that she was feeling his hand tightly holding hers, she knew that she could never forget what had happened between them or the impact that he had left on her. All of the sacrifices and heartache that she had endured had somehow been worth it.

It would have been a lie to think otherwise, she thought as she looked up at him. She wanted nothing more than to hold tightly to him and kiss his soft lips. Instead of doing anything, she simply remained limp and relaxed in his arms, her desires unspoken.

Moments passed, and she felt Anton’s hand lightly brushing against her cheek. Through this action alone, it seemed clear that he had always known that his actions had broken her heart. Yet, Patty’s own mature realism knew that it had been far too dangerous for her to stay with him.

It was also more than clear that illogical dreamer in him would have no doubt taken her with him, but the realist that dominated his heart and mind would have died if harm had come to her.

That meant that he had to go and she had to stay.

What the former POW did not expect was for Patty to once again start weeping softly in his arms. As the tears streamed down over her cheeks, he was somehow reminded of how rain fell against a plate of glass. “I k-knew that it wasn’t safe,” she whispered brokenly, but her breathing was so terribly uneven that she thought her lungs would surely explode. “I-I didn’t know it back then.” She paused as she buried her face against his chest. “I-I was so s-scared that I would never see you again.”

Anton held her close, but without thinking he raised his hands and allowed them to press against the back of her head. “I know.”

“But y-you’re really here and this isn’t a dream,” she sobbed softly, the sounds momentarily reminding him of the child that she had once been.

“No, it’s not a dream,” he sad as Hannah approached.

Patty did not hear anything until Anton’s sister spoke, her voice breaking into their dialogue. “Did I miss anything?” She asked with a quirky smile never once leaving her face. She watched as Patty remained in his arms, but slowly raised her head.

As the two women made eye contact, it was clear that Hannah was now carrying the unmistakable signs of mischief in her blue eyes. “Patty, this is my brother.”

“W-we’ve met,” Patty managed to speak. It was clear that the younger woman was feeling as though the wind had been completely knocked out of her.

Hannah nodded still smiling. “Well, that’s rather obvious.” She reached for the handle of one of her suitcases and picked it up. “Perhaps we ought to leave this place. I don’t think the people here expected to get a dramatic show with their lunches.”

He nodded in agreement as he drew back and out of Patty’s hold. “Perhaps not a bad idea,” he said as his attention remained on her. “Do you think you can walk?”

“I think so,” she whispered as she allowed him to help her stand up. She had to walk, there was no one left to carry her belongings if Anton was forced to carry her. Instead, she reached for her suitcase and with teary eyes, she began to follow Hannah towards the door that would lead outside.

Anton remained in step with her, his hand gently on her shoulder and his presence guiding her until they had stepped outside.

~~~~~

As they reached the car, Patty noticed that the windows were opened so that air could move about inside the vehicle. Coming closer, the two women realized that the cat carrying case was behind the passenger seat. This would be a tight squeeze for all of them, but none of them seemed to mind when Anton opened the backdoor and looked at his two companions. “One of you will have to sit in the back with Minka.”

“I can,” Patty said.

“Alright, then make yourself comfortable, and I’ll tend to your luggage,” he said.

Patty nodded and crawled in as Anton put the suitcases in the trunk and closed it. Seconds later, he came around the side, peered in at her, and smiled. As she returned the gesture, he noted that she was securely inside and closed the door. He then climbed behind the wheel and closed his own door. Hannah followed suit.

As soon as he was had stuck the key in the ignition, he turned to face Hannah, who was momentarily checking her reflection in the rearview mirror. “You’re going to make driving very difficult for me again, aren’t you?” He asked in teasing undertones as he readjusted the mirror and started the car.

“Who me?” She asked with feigned innocence as she pressed the palm of her hand over her chest in a dramatic gesture.

“Who else moves the mirror like that to inspect their appearance?” He chided.

After several seconds had passed, Anton managed to adjust the mirror to his liking. He then drove out of the parking lot. As they were leaving, he briefly turned and looked at his sister, his next words emerging in their native tongue. “How ever did you manage to pull all of this off?” He asked.

Despite himself, he cast a quick glance back towards Patty who was sitting up, her attention now on the scenery instead of them. When she discovered that there was not a great deal to see, she leaned closer so as to try to make out what the brother and sister were saying. Discovering that she could not decipher anything, she wearily closed her eyes, but remained where she was, squished between the cat carrier and the small dip between the driver and passenger seats.

It was clear that Patty was tired and the adrenaline rush was about to meet its end, but her reporter’s curiosity was somehow keeping her alert.

“Oh that’s easy, I had a friend in New York who worked at a travel agency and he owed me a favor. I told him about the situation and he managed to pull some strings to get us in the same cabin.” Hannah reached around the seat and gave the gold chain around Patty’s neck a slight tug, thus exposing the ring.

After several seconds, Anton noticed his sister’s actions, which were emphasized when she continued speaking, this time addressing her brother in English. “Do you recognize this ring?”

He nodded as a smile curved up the corners of his mouth. “How could I not? I actually noticed it when I first approached where Patty was sitting. I’m surprised that you still have it? Did anyone else besides Ruth ever discover what you did for me?”

Patty shook her head. “No,” she whispered. “After you left, I wore it for a while, but then later put it in a safe place and never mentioned it.” She did not want to add that the moment he had left, she had been devastated.

Aside from that, it was at that moment, it seemed rather silly since they were now back together. Of course, she could not help but ask herself how long their reunion would even last. Eventually, Anton would have to return to his own life and job, and she would have to return to her own, such that it was.

It was at that moment when Patty realized that she was afraid to tell him all of the things that she had confided to David back in New York. Seeing Anton again affirmed to her that the feelings she carried were all very, very real indeed.

Patty Bergen was still in love with Anton Reiker.

Reason no longer mattered.

From the very start, she had been ensnared by his loving eyes, and the gentle smile that covered his lips. Those feelings would never change, not even if she had.

David had told her that love does not always change, sometimes it had its way of growing and becoming even more special as well as authentic. Perhaps during the past twelve years, her own love towards Anton, had in fact, grown and intensified on many different levels.

It was just as her friends in Manhattan had affirmed.

Instead of being allowed to sink even further into her contemplations, Anton’s voice suddenly brought her out of her reverie. “I still wish I had your courage,” he said matter-of-factly. “I mean; you came all this way to find me, but I could have died in America and you wouldn't have known.”

Patty smiled weakly all the while knowing that she had considered that possibility as well. Of course, she was very glad that those fears had not been realized. “I’m not that brave, Anton,” she whispered more to herself than to him. “I was still afraid.”

“Would you believe me if I told you that I was too?” He asked.

“I don’t know, you said that you were a coward back then, but I never believed it. Especially not after Ruth told me how you came running out of the garage to help me when my father was…” Her voice broke at that moment as the rest of her words seemed to hang lazily in the air.

Anton nodded, but instead of keeping both hands on the wheel, he removed his right hand and reached towards where her voice had originated. Finding her hand, he offered it a gentle squeeze before returning it to the steering wheel.

No other words were spoken as he drove in the direction of the blue colored signs that marked the way to the German autobahn system. The sign that he followed would ultimately lead them out of Hamburg and in the direction of Hannover.

As the soft hum of his car and the gentle movement of it encased her, Patty leaned up against the backseat and closed her eyes. This, if anything, reminded her of how tired she was. The nights on the ship and the restlessness were now catching up with her. She had found him, or better said, he had found her, and now she could finally relax.

As the adrenaline rush of their reunion started to fade away, exhaustion suddenly replaced it and without so much as a word, she drifted off to sleep.

Seconds later, Hannah turned around and seeing Patty asleep, she nodded approvingly. “Finally.” 

“Is she sleeping?” Anton asked.

“Yes,” came the simple answer.

“This must have been an incredibly taxing journey on her,” he mused.

“Not just physically, but also emotionally,” Hannah affirmed as she cast another glance towards Patty, whose eyes were closed and lips slightly parted. Releasing a pent up breath, she looked at her brother, the soft German words emerging. “The truth is, I didn’t want to embarrass her back there, but Anton, she was such a mess on our way here.”

“How do you mean?” He asked.

“Well, among other things, she was frightened,” Hannah rubbed her face, the tiredness finally catching up with her as well. Through this action, she tried unsuccessfully at stifling a yawn. “The thing is, I wanted to tell her about you so that she could at least get a good night’s rest. Of course, I figured that if I said too much, she would either not believe me, or she would think I was mocking her. I wanted to tell her that everything would be alright, but something inside kept warning me against it. I guess it was abundantly clear that the person she should hear everything from is you.”

He nodded. “You’re right, and from the first moment I saw her, I could tell that something was not quite right. She looks completely famished and something tells me that there is far more happening with her than just being tired.”

“There is,” Hannah affirmed. “On our way here, she was having these dreams, well they were more like nightmares. She would wake up crying, and sometimes she would be calling out your name. She wanted to see you, but I could tell that she was uncertain as to what would happen when she did. She’s very much the realist, as you are, but I still cannot forget that morning when she woke up crying: ‘Anton you can’t marry her’.”

He took a deep breath. “Who would I be marrying?”

“I have no idea, she mentioned her sister, but the rest sort of came out rather hazy.” She took a deep breath as she regarded her brother with all the sincerity she was capable of. “You may have to accept the fact that she might still carry the torch for you.”

“But, it’s been over twelve years,” he whispered.

“Perhaps, but sometimes a person’s most private feelings emerge in their dreams,” she said. “I could tell that she had a great many conflicting thoughts and feelings going on inside, but her love for you may still be there. Such things cannot simply be explained away.”

“Maybe I’m trying too hard at doing just that,” he mused.

Hannah nodded. “You have always been very rational. But, right now, you have to know that whenever she spoke of you, it was always in relation to her dreams. I think she was afraid of confiding her story into too many people. To us the acts were heroic and good…”

“…Yet, in her own country it would have equaled treason,” he said with a nod of his head.

“Yet, she still chose to help you and essentially saved your life,” Hannah said.

He nodded, but no other words emerged. Instead, he kept his attention focused on the traffic.

“Anton?” Hannah eventually spoke, her voice breaking into his thoughts.

“Yes?”

“There’s something else I think I should tell you,” she said.

“What?”

“Well, today, just before we got off the ship, she asked me if she looked alright? I told her that she was pretty and unique, but it seemed as though she didn’t want to believe it or my words did not affirm enough.”

“Just as I remember,” he said quietly.

Hannah nodded. “Yes, and the thing is, every time we spoke, I got the impression that she had heard enough of that negativity from other people.”

“You mean the members of her family,” he said.

“Yes, well, it makes sense because her self-esteem seemed to mirror everything you conveyed to us when you spoke of her family. At any rate, when I recalled this event, I was somehow reminded of how wonderful our family is and I felt badly for her. Does that make any sense?”

Anton nodded. “Her situation back home is still the same, isn’t it?”

“From what I have been able to ascertain, yes. Her father sounds like nothing more than a tyrant,” Hannah said. “Patty didn’t mention the abuse but she still shows the overt signs of it.” As she spoke, she cast a glance towards the backseat where Patty slept, her head still pressed up against the cushion.

Turning back around, she looked at her brother. “So did you discover what you felt for her after getting to see her again?” She asked.

Anton flushed, but seemed grateful that Patty was not only asleep, but that she could not understand the implications of his sister’s words.

“Well, let’s wait at least a few days. I think Patty and I will have a great deal to discuss before sending out invitations.” As he spoke, he shifted his weight uncomfortably.

“Dr. Reiker, don't you think you are at the age when you should start settling down? And as nice as Minka is, I don’t think she would object to you having a woman’s touch around your flat.” Hannah smirked as she spoke in an almost flawless imitation of their mother. “I would just love to start planning a wedding.”

“I think you have been speaking to Mum too much these days.” He chuckled at his sister’s antics. “You know that Patty is the only person I have spoken of during these past years. But, please understand, she does have a say in this, as well. Besides, don't you think it is a little quick to bring this up now? Patty just arrived here, and we don’t know what her plans or intentions even are.”

Hannah nodded. “Perhaps, but aren’t you, at least, glad that I told you about this? Now you have some sort of idea as to where things stand.”

“Yes,” he affirmed. “But, while I do agree with you, I still believe that we are going to need a little bit of time to talk about everything. I mean; just because she came here to see me doesn’t mean that she will not ultimately wish to return home. Maybe she’s just trying to complete a chapter in her life so that she can move on and start over.”

Hannah shook her head. “Come on Anton, do you honestly believe that? After seeing the two of you holding onto each other earlier, I honestly don’t think that there is a chance in the world that she would ever consider going back.” She lovingly poked him on the arm.

“Maybe, but I will not expect her to stay here if she has something else in mind for her life,” he said with a deep inhalation of breath. “Perhaps, the thing we ought to do is just wait and see.”

“Speaking of plans and intentions,” she said, thus changing the subject. “Are you going to go back to Büsum and finish your holiday?”

“No, I figured that I would be heading back to Hildesheim with Patty later this evening after I take you home,” he said.

Hannah cast yet another glance in the backseat. “Whatever the case, she’ll probably sleep until we get there.”

Anton nodded. “I figured as much. If you want to take a nap as well, you can. I imagine that you have not yet grown accustomed to the time change between here and New York.” He stopped speaking for several moments and then cast a glance towards his sister. “Hannah, did you really come back home so that you could help Patty find her way?”

She nodded. “Yes, but it wasn’t just because of you or her. I wanted to come home, and Patty seemed a good reason for me to do so. The thing is, during the time that I was there, I came to the realization that I wasn’t happy. I was trying all this time to find something that would help me to understand so that I could, at least, emphasize with what you went through, but the whole time, I couldn’t.”

“I’m glad,” he said softly.

“Maybe, but I suppose that was the reason I left in the first place. I wanted to know what was out there, and not just hide myself away and lead this boring existence.” As she was speaking, she leaned back against the seat and rested her head there.

“Your life is anything but boring, Hannah. You’ve traveled and seen places that some can only dream of.” Anton said.

“Maybe,” she said with a yawn as she made herself comfortable and closed her eyes.

“Get some sleep,” he said smiling. “I’ll wake you when we reach Göttingen.”

She nodded and within seconds had drifted off to sleep, thus leaving him alone with his contemplations.

By this time, he was several kilometers outside of Hamburg and had entered Lower Saxony, the German state in which he lived. Driving the now familiar stretch of highway would give Anton the opportunity to think about everything that had happened that particular day.

Hannah had helped him to find P.B., and now he was left to question what feelings he carried for the courageous young woman. Amidst the physical changes, he could still see the same insecure, but intelligent, young girl in her manner and stance.

At the very same instant, he knew that he loved Patty, but he wasn't quite sure how she felt about him. There existed many questions that needed answers, as well as feelings that would require some attention.

Perhaps it would be better when the two of them could finally be alone.

It was no secret that he was presently too shy to even hope that Patty would ever be interested in him on a level beyond friendship. Yet, she had come all this way, and perhaps there was something more on the young woman’s mind than just platonic friendship.

The questions that his sister had raised seemed to only intensify his hope that Patty was not just there to reunite herself with an old friend.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Within about two hours of driving, they had reached the medieval German town of Göttingen. When the familiar buildings met his gaze, Anton stopped at an intersection and spoke, his voice breaking the silent confines of the car.

“Hannah, Patty, wake up, we’re almost there,” he said as he turned around and with his right hand, nudged Patty gently.

Seconds passed and she moaned softly. Slowly, she opened her eyes before raising her head. Rubbing her face, she tried to get the sleep out of her eyes all the while trying to recall where specifically she was. As her eyes adjusted to the light, she saw the back of Anton’s head as well as the familiar confines of his car. Finally, she glanced outside through the window nearest her. As she watched the old and rustic buildings drift by, her eyes widened in awe.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispered, but when he did not respond to these words, she figured that he had not heard them. She opted to not repeat them, but instead waited for Hannah to wake up.

As the elegant German lady stretched, she too began to take in the sights and sounds of a town she had not seen in years. “This was a fast trip,” she remarked as she ceased stretching and began to rub her eyes as well.

Patty nodded, but not knowing the exact distance from one place to another, she looked at the other woman and spoke. “Hannah, why didn’t you tell me that you were related to Anton?”

“I wasn’t really sure that you were who I thought you were,” Hannah responded. “When I saw the ring that first night on the ship, I realized without a doubt who you were. After all, everything I told you was the truth about the origins of the ring. I knew it was special because it is a heirloom from our family. When Anton gave you that ring, you became a part of our family as well as a part of its story.” She took a deep breath as she continued. “You see, there was a part of me that wanted to tell you everything about it, but I figured that it would be more special if Anton did instead of me. The next morning, I got up early and went to send him a telegram. Two days later, his answer arrived.”

Patty nodded. “I remember waking up that one morning and you saying that you had things to do. That was one of those things.”

Hannah smiled and nodded.

Anton began to laugh softly. “Hannah, it would seem that you are more capable of slipping in and out of tight spots than Sherlock Holmes ever was.”

Hannah punched him playfully on the arm. “Well, yes, perhaps. But in defense of my actions, I sort of figured that the best person to tell Patty the truth would be you, Anton.”

“It’s strange, but I noticed that you never really called him by name when referring to him on the ship,” Patty observed. “You always referred to him as your brother.”

Hannah shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe I should have said something, but I thought that this was your and Anton’s show, so I would let him spill the beans. I hope you’re not upset with me for that, I was simply trying to do what I felt was right.”

Patty blushed. After a moment she spoke up. “I’m not angry or disappointed, quite the contrary, actually. I owe you a great deal, it seems.”

“As do I,” said Anton as he exchanged quick glances with both on his companions. Seconds later, he pulled the car up in front of a large two story house. He turned and addressed his sister in German. “Here we are, Buhlstrasse 64. Hannah, I will be bringing Patty tomorrow to meet everyone. Right now, I think it would be best if I take her back home so that we can talk and she can get some more rest.”

As he was speaking, both he and his younger sister got out of the car and began to retrieve her belongings.

“Then I suppose I’ll see you both tomorrow,” Hannah said smiling.

“Definitely,” he said with a nod. “I would like Mum and Dad to meet Patty. I am certain that they will both have a great many questions for her. I simply figure that it might be a bit overwhelming to answer questions after such a long trip. If we were to come in today, then we would no doubt end up spending the night in the drawing room.”

Hannah nodded but instead of verbally responding to his statement, she leaned around the still opened passenger door. “Good night, Patty. See you tomorrow.” With these words hanging in the air, Patty felt the older woman reaching into the car and giving her shoulder a comforting squeeze.

Patty nodded. “Good night, Hannah, and thank you for everything.”

“It is I who should be thanking you; for my brother and for our family. There’s no telling what boring thing I’d have been stuck doing if you hadn’t have helped him like you did.” She gave a casual wave before going to grab her belongings and heading for the front door.

During this time, Anton came around to the driver’s side of the car and got back in. “Patty, why don’t you come to the front seat?” He offered cordially. “That will make it easier for us to talk on our way back.”

She nodded and crawled out of the backseat as he suggested and closed the door before making her way around the car and climbing into the passenger seat. As he started the car, she looked at him. “Where are we going?” She asked.

“Well, before we go back to my apartment, there is something that I would really like to show to you. Are you feeling up to it, or are you too tired?”

“I’m fine,” Patty said. “I think sleeping on our way here helped sustain me for a few more hours. Besides, right now, I don’t think I could go back to sleep even if I wanted to.”

He nodded. “I know what you mean; we have so much to catch up on and I am not sure I could wait too terribly long to tell you everything that has happened over the years.” He glanced in her direction only briefly before shifting back his focus onto the street that stretched out before them.

From where she was seated, Patty could see that his profile was now blocking the light that was being cast by the early evening sun. This made him seem even more perfect than she remembered. As she contemplated this, her thoughts suddenly began to race out of control.

She was now alone with the man she loved, and she was just a little bit uncertain if they could even take up where they had left off when they had said good-bye all those years ago. They had been alone briefly when they had been in the reception room in Hamburg, but now they were completely alone with no one to distract or divert their focus. With that knowing, she was completely at a loss for words.

As they drove beyond the city limits, she watched as a gold colored sign with ‘Göttingen’ and a red slash mark crossed over the city name passed by them.

“What does that sign mean?” She suddenly felt herself asking.

“Sign?” Anton turned and looked at her.

“Yes, the one with the town’s name crossed out?”

Anton smiled. “Oh, that. It just means that we have passed beyond the city limits.”  
“How far is it to where you live?” She asked.

“About 90 kilometers,” he said. “It’s less than an hour away, but in order to get there, we have to drive back in the direction of Hannover.”

“That’s strange because Hannah said it was only half an hour away when we were on the ship,” Patty mused.

“When she’s driving,” he quipped. “It doesn’t take her very long because she drives fast. Generally I do too, but my cat doesn’t like it, so I have to drive slower whenever she’s in the car.”

“Oh,” Patty mused.

After about twenty or so kilometers, Anton abruptly pulled off the autobahn and soon they found themselves on a two lane country road. Several kilometers later, he turned off onto a much smaller road. Several minutes later, he pulled to the side and cut the motor.

Patty turned away from where she was peering outside and looked at him. Confusion lined her face as she watched him pocket the keys, turn away from the steering wheel, and smile at her. Seconds later, he wordlessly opened the front door and started to get out.

She watched as he came around the car to where she was seated and opened the door. As she felt a gentle breeze wafting about inside, she took a deep breath. “Anton, w-what are we doing here?” She asked.

“This is what I wanted to show you,” he said as he rolled down her window a notch and then offered his hand to her.

Accepting it, she slowly got out of the car.

From the side of the road where she was now standing, Patty could make out a large house in the distance as well as countless trees that lined the road. Extending in front of the house and beyond it was another group of trees, that framed a large meadow.

In the middle a young lone tree stood with a small wooden plaque in front of it.

Patty smiled as she recalled how the meadow somehow reminded her of the places in the storybooks that she used to read to Sharon when her sister had been a little girl. There was something magical and enchanting about the whole area. Wordlessly, she stood and stared at it for several moments until Anton’s voice broke into her thoughts.

“Come with me,” he said softly as he cast a glance behind them to make sure no cars were coming up the lonely road. Crossing the road and climbing down through a small gully, he led her between the trees and across the meadow in the direction of the single tree. “I did something here right after I came home that I wanted to show to you,” he confessed softly.

She nodded as she felt him leading her to the small apple tree. From the branches, she could make out that small apples were blossoming from it and this brought a small smile to her face.

At that moment, Anton turned to face her, his expression laced with gentility as he took both of her hands in his. “I brought you here because I wanted to show you this tree,” he began. In his words there existed far more emotion than even Patty could have imagined him being capable of expressing.

Not really certain as to why, she nodded slowly, but stared for several moments at the tree. She did not understand the symbolism of it anymore than she could fathom the rationale behind coming to this place. In time, she figured that he would explain everything.

Instead of her saying anything or inquiring, she simply waited.

“I wanted to tell you what I feel right now, but I was not really certain as to how I should begin or even go about it.” As he spoke, his voice, although laced in certainty, was also laced in a strange and unfamiliar shyness. He rubbed his hands together and lowered his head.

For several moments it seemed as though he was trying to collect his thoughts. Once he had managed, he raised his head once again and looked at her.

“Legend tells us that the apple tree was once considered the ‘tree of life’, as apples help to sustain life,” he began. To Patty, it sounded as though he was now quoting text. It gave her the exact same impressions that she had when they were studying Emerson’s work in the hideout and he had taken on the task of teaching her.

Remembering this, Patty smiled despite the emotional tears that had started catching in the corners of her eyes. As she stubbornly began to wipe the moisture away, she was brought back to the present when Anton continued speaking.

“You saved my life during a time when I was more afraid than I had ever been before. Somehow, you understood how I felt even before I did. I know that it seems hard for you to believe, but I’ve internally waited for the day when you would come find me. It has been your courage, not mine, that has brought us to this moment. Patty, you have taken so many journeys in your life, and all that I could do to recognize this simple truth is to go and plant this tree.”

“You planted this?” She asked softly.

“It was all I could think of to do,” he said as he pointed to the small plaque that was placed in front of the tree. “This is your tree, Patty. It says so on that piece of wood. Go ahead and read it.”

“But, Anton, I can’t read it. I don’t read very much German,” she objected. “I mean; I know ‘gesundheit’ and ‘guten Tag’, but otherwise, I guess I’m linguistically inept.”

“You, the great dictionary reader, ‘linguistically inept’?” He asked with traces of amusement in his voice. Of course, as these words emerged, he was shaking his head adamantly. “I don’t believe that for even an instant, and you should not either.”

Patty smiled. “You’ve always made me feel like I was special.”

“Because you are special,” he affirmed with a smile. “Believe it, Patty, and just look at the engraving on this. I would never have carved out those words if they were not the truth.”

As these words drifted to the heavens, a small smile shadowed his face as he motioned with his hand towards it.

Stepping closer, Patty could see the dark writing that covered the small piece of wood. On the corners of the plaque were small flowers carefully carved into the wood. It seemed as though he had put more of himself into this work than she could have surmised.

Instead of commenting on the intricacies of the plaque, she leaned down so that she could read the writing that adorned it:

  
_  
_

This tree has been planted  
in appreciation and love  
to Patricia Ann Bergen,  
by Frederick Anton Reiker.

As these words washed over her, Patty raised her head and looked at Anton in complete surprise.

Once he nodded, she could suddenly feel herself being drawn into his gentle hold, his arms holding tightly to her as he embraced her. Moments passed before his next words emerged. “I don’t know how I can ever thank you for all that you have done for me. It was courageous of you, and now I see you standing here and I’m amazed that you would come such a distance to find me.” As he spoke, fresh tears began to stream, not only from his eyes, but also from her own.

This is the happiest moment of my life, Patty thought as she allowed herself to remain wrapped in the sanctuary of his embrace. “Anton,” she whispered his name as she pressed her face against his chest, the softness of his shirt reminding her of that night when they said ‘good-bye’. Yet, somehow, there was something better in that moment. Something that told her that he would not be leaving her this time.

Together, they stood in silence and stared at the tree.

~~~~~

Patty remained in Anton’s arms for a long time savoring the feeling she had with him.

Instead of speaking, she allowed her head to rest against his shoulder. She did not speak, although her mind seemed to be racing. Eventually, she felt one of his hands lightly stroking one side of her face.

“You know, I have waited twelve years for this moment,” His voice soon broke the silence.

“You have?” She asked.

“Does that surprise you?” He asked, still nodding.

“Sort of,” she confessed. “I mean; for some stupid reason, I thought it was just me.”

He shook his head as he brushed his hand against her cheek, the touch feather light. “It may seem strange to you, but my feelings for you were the same as yours were for me. You do recall that I told you that I loved you and that I would miss you. And I did miss you, Patty. Every day, I prayed and hoped that I would have the opportunity to see you again.”

She smiled, despite the tears that were now threatening to spill down over her cheeks. “D-did you know that you were the first person I ever loved?”

“I remember you saying that you loved me, I just didn’t know I was the first,” he said softly, his fingers still lightly touching her face.

“It was the truth,” she mumbled.

They sank into companionable silence as he watched her lower her head and stare down at the ground. For some reason, she was unable to meet his gaze. “Patty, what are you thinking about?” He asked.

“I don’t know,” she whispered.

“Yes, you do,” he said. Carefully he captured her face in his hands and tipped it up so that she was looking at him. He took a deep breath but instead of speaking, he simply waited for her find the words she wanted to say.

“Anton, I…” her voice trailed. At that moment, it felt as though a brick the size of a fishing boat was weighing down her head and keeping her from looking up at him.

_Tell him, you idiot,_ her conscience began to chastise her. _Tell him that you love him and that you would give up everything so that you could spend the rest of your life with him. You know that he gives your life meaning. Now, instead of living in the past, you can face the future.´_

After several moments of silence passed, she spoke. “You always knew when something was wrong,” she whispered somewhat self-consciously. “I know it probably sounds strange, but you showed me what it means to love someone more than I love myself. I never forgot, Anton…I couldn’t.” As she felt the heat rushing to her cheeks, she stared down at the toes of her shoes, which were hidden amidst the green grass that covered the earth.

Anton took a deep breath as his next question emerged, the sounds of his words somehow hanging lazily in the air. “Even after all this time, you still remember everything that we went through?”

When she raised her head, she offered a timid nod. “I know it sounds crazy, but I still feel something for you, something that is stronger than anything I have ever felt before.”

“You do?” He asked, and suddenly he sounded very much like the child that Patty had once been. He reached for her hand and felt the softness of her fingers holding tightly to his hand.

Somehow, in that simple action, both of them came to the same conclusion at the very same moment. The inbred realism in each of their personalities had argued against their shared love. Yet anything that was verbally affirmed did not equal the emotions they felt when they looked into the eyes of the other.

They had been wrong all along.

The most real and true love did indeed come from the heart, and the love they shared proved that in spirit they had always been together. Even if physical separation had managed to keep them apart.

Slowly, she raised her head. “Yes.” When she tried to shift her gaze away from his piercing eyes, she realized that he would not hear of it. He captured her face firmly, but gently, in his hold.

_I will not let you go,_ he thought to himself. _I know that you have been brave all this time, I will not let you run away from me because of that fear._ “P.B.?” He eventually spoke, this time using her initials as he had done that final night when she experienced her first kiss.

She unconsciously bit down on her lower lip, the words she wanted to say now unwilling to come. In fact, now she was afraid that if she did speak, then she might actually start crying again.

So, the silence remained, the stillness loomed over the meadow where they were now standing, the sounds soothing and gentle. When Patty felt her eyes suddenly close, she was thrown back to a time when a kiss marked a farewell.

Swallowing the lump that formed in her throat, she allowed it to come.

His lips lightly touched hers, lingered, and parted.

Her eyes were still closed as the kiss ended, but this time, she was afraid to open them. He would be gone again, she thought, the fears taking hold. Eventually, she felt his hand against one side of her face and she opened her eyes to see him standing in front of her, his presence never faltering.

He did not leave, she was not alone.

In fact, he had taken her in his arms and was holding her against him. His eyes were staring down at her with all the earnestness that he was capable of sharing. “Don’t ever believe that your feelings are wrong or unjustified,” he whispered. “I will openly confess that I waited for you for such a long time. Through that, I stopped living because I knew that something was missing in my life.”

“What?” She asked softly.

“You,” he whispered. “You were missing, but now you are here.”

Patty opened her mouth to speak, but his voice stopped her from so much as saying a single word.

Instead of allowing the awkward silence to engulf them, Anton spoke. “When I left you before, I felt terrible about what it was I had to do. I needed you as much as I knew that you wanted me to stay. I wanted to give you everything I had, but I was a fugitive and there was no way for me to offer you the things that I felt I should have.” He paused as the next group of agonizing words filled the quiet meadow. “You see, I was very selfish because I wanted to take you with me, to fulfill that request that you had made of me. Yet, it was my realism that argued against it. That was the one thing that kept me going during these past twelve years. The afternoon after we had spoken with Ruth and I had returned to the hideout. It was there where I came to the realization that I could not take you with me. I had to decide for myself what I would do, and that was to try and make it on my own.”

“You could have stayed,” she whispered.

“Perhaps I could have, but it would have been too difficult for us to keep up with this façade. I think you knew that,” he said softly. “Patty, I have always known that if it weren’t for you, I’d have never survived. Do you remember when I said that I wanted to be free?”

She nodded and spoke, her voice cracking. “I remember.”

He took another deep breath before gathering his thoughts and managing to speak. “After I left, I did not feel free. I was on the run, hungry, and very much alone. With that internal knowing that you were safe, I had a reason to keep living. To know that you were out there, and that you cared for me was far more valuable than gold or riches. The love that I felt coming from you as well as my family helped me to survive.” As he spoke, she watched as the tears welled from beneath his eyes and started to make their trek down his cheeks.

Patty watched as Anton – her Anton, spoke with all the sincerity that was inside of him. She could not say a word, but she could feel his arms tightening their hold on her, the firmness of his hold causing her to rest her head against his chest. Before he continued to speak, she raised one of her hands and touched his cheek where the tears were now freely falling. She kept her attention focused on him, her fingers now lightly brushing the moisture from his cheeks.

It seemed clear that he had more to say and it seemed as though the combination of courage and honesty enabled him to do so. “I have been miserable since that night I had to leave you. The truth is, I was so afraid that you would grow up and forget all about me, when I could never have forgotten about you.” As these heartfelt words filled her, Patty could feel the emotion of them tugging at her heartstrings, and causing tears to burn against her half-closed eyes.

Instead of allowing him see to her break down yet again, she merely buried her face against him, her hands lowering until her arms could comfortably wind around him. In this stance, she held on with all her might.

Eventually, she raised her head and looked at him. “I was afraid that you wouldn’t care for me anymore because I’m not the same person I once was. I mean; I know that I was a child back then, and that you were grown. But, today, just to look at what I’ve become…” Her voice trailed off as she shook her head. “…I kept having these dreams that convinced me that it was impossible. What if the things I felt were nothing more than a figment of my imagination?”

“What if they’re more than just fantasy?” He asked softly. Despite the earnestness of their conversation, he felt the corners of his mouth turning upward. “I knew that you were a child and I could not help but see that you possessed a wisdom and a beauty that went far beyond the fact that you were just twelve-years-old. I was always conscientious of that, Patty, and I’m deeply regretful that my actions back then might have confused you. That was never my intention.”

She nodded. “I knew that. It’s just that right before coming here, I had a lot of confusing thoughts going through my mind. Logic told me that we could not simply pick up where we left off. That’s why I was so afraid.”

He took a deep breath as a relaxed smile crossed his features. “I didn’t want you to be afraid, I really didn’t. But, I am glad you are here and I hope that your fears were not realized.”

“They weren’t,” she whispered. “But still, the night before I left for New York, I was talking to my roommate, Melanie. She is the one who really convinced me to come. In truth, I had a lot of misgivings about taking this trip. I was afraid of what I would find once I got here. I thought that you would be married, or…” her voice trailed as she tried to swallow the last word. “…dead.”

“Yet you still came,” he said as he shook his head in profound disbelief. “You know, Patty, that is what makes your journey such a remarkable one.”

“Maybe, but it didn’t stop me from having these dreams about other women in your life. Even my little sister, which I knew was completely preposterous. But, being scared makes people perceive strange things. Anyway, amidst all of that, I knew that I could not forget you, and so I asked myself what you would think about the person that I had become. How would you feel about me just dropping into your life from out of nowhere?”

“I would think it’s wonderful, and believe me, I do,” he said gently.

“I know that now, but when I was in New York and Atlanta before that, I didn’t really know at all. I couldn’t forget any of it and the thoughts just kept attacking me. The day I boarded the ship, I spoke to my friend David about what I felt. He knew I was scared, but then he made some comment about love not really changing, but evolving.”

“And that helped?” He asked.

“I guess so, it convinced me to get on the ship. But, after we were on our way here, I realized through coming here that this would be the way for me to find out.” This answer was filled with so much honesty that when she looked back into his eyes, she noticed that an intense sadness remained. “What I found out somehow made all of this worth it.”

“What did you find?” He asked, the sadness still lurking in his simple question.

She raised her head without actually looking into his eyes. “That I still do love you.”

When he did not respond to her words, she looked away.

Here, she had been waiting for him to affirm that her feelings were not wrong, and yet, he remained quiet.

Seconds later, she found the courage to speak and continued, this time, contrary to the kiss they had shared moments ago, her words somehow prepared her for rejection. “Maybe I shouldn’t feel the way I do, but when I saw you earlier, everything suddenly came back to me. I remembered all the times that we had spoken and how you had become my teacher.”

“I don’t really know what to say,” he whispered. He wanted to speak further, but for whatever reason, this was not an easy task. By this time, Patty’s eyes had closed against the soft rays of the sun.

“You don’t have to say anything,” she whispered. She knew that although she had come all this way to tell him what she felt, there was no turning back. Her moment of truth had arrived, and now all she could do was look up and into Anton’s contemplative face and wonder what thoughts were raging through his mind.

Now, if only she didn’t feel so queasy all the sudden.

Taking a deep breath, she continued speaking. “During the past week, I started to really think about when we were in Jenkinsville and how you had said that you really cared for me.”

“Listening to all the things you have said just now, I have discovered that it was not just me,” he said softly.

“It wasn’t,” she whispered as she took a deep breath. “I was scared that my actions or words would cause me to lose your friendship. I was more afraid of telling you that I loved you because I thought that maybe you wouldn’t understand. Either that or simply view me as the child I had once been.”

She took a deep breath, her gaze raising only slightly as her words continued. “I guess I believed that as I got older, the love I carried towards you possibly might fade, but it never did. When you spoke my name earlier, I suddenly realized that there was no reason for me to question whether or not I was in love with you, because I knew at that moment that I always have been.”

Anton took a deep breath as he looked down at her. Her gaze was still darting from the tree, to the ground, and back to the plaque that was stuck in the ground. For some reason, she did not have the courage to even look at him.

Patty did not see the elation he felt upon hearing her words. Instead of immediately speaking, he tightened his hold on her. As she rested against him, she could feel his face meshing into the softness of her wavy brown hair.

After some time had passed, he looked down at her, and captured her face with both of his hands. Tipping it up, he stared down at her.

“I love you, too, P.B.,” he whispered as he leaned down and once again pressed his lips gently, but firmly, against hers.

The moment Patty felt this, her lips softened beneath the pressure as they both allowed the kiss to intensify. The softness of his lips somehow leaving her to ponder if Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart had ever shared such a loving and passionate kiss as this in the film ‘Casablanca’.

Drawing back several moments later, Anton smiled when he noticed the faraway look in her eyes. His next words would ultimately bring her back to the present. “I think perhaps it would be a good time for us to leave, it’s starting to get a little bit cool out here,” he whispered all the while noticing how Patty was trying unsuccessfully at shielding the shivers that she was getting from being outside. This is a far different climate than Jenkinsville or even Atlanta, two places that she had, over time, grown accustomed to.

It was also clear that she was still tired and that contrary to having slept in the car between Hamburg and Göttingen, Patty was still in need of rest.

Wordlessly, he took her hands and started to lead her back in the way they had come.

As the two of them reached his parked car several minutes later, Patty cast a quick glance back over towards the lone tree in the middle of the meadow. “The tree is really beautiful, Anton,” she eventually whispered, her voice filled with awe. “To be honest, I never thought that I was even worthy of someone planting a tree in my name.” Her gaze was still on the tree. “No one has ever really done anything that wonderful for me before.” She paused before continuing. “It wasn’t just that, though.”

“It wasn’t?”

“No, you made the plaque in English, so that I could read and understand it,” she smiled weakly. “Maybe it was sort of your hope that I would come.”

He smiled. “Yes, it was, because I knew that I could not go back there.”

“Why not?” She asked.

He reached over and touched her face. “Aside from not being endeared by the American authorities, I figured on something that you had not yet realized.”

“What?”

“There existed a certain element of knowing that you would never have stayed in Jenkinsville after you had grown up,” he said smiling.

“But Ruth is there, and she would have told you where I was if you had come,” she argued.

He smiled and nodded, but opened the door so that she could crawl into the passenger seat. As he walked around the car and got in, he glanced over at her and spoke, his next words reminding him of the day in the hideout and they had spoken of bravery and courage. It was at that moment when he had confessed to being afraid and she had tried to reassure him that he was safe.

“I never had your courage, P.B.,” he whispered as he started the car.

Before Patty could object to those words, Anton pulled the car back onto the street and wordlessly drove them back in the direction of his apartment.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

The sun was starting its descent behind the trees when they finally reached Hildesheim. Patty had drifted off to sleep, and instead of immediately driving her home, he drove in the direction of a gasoline filling station. There he parked his car in front of the small shop and went inside in order to buy some bread rolls and pastries. With these purchases now in his arms, he returned to the car to find that, in his absence, she had not even stirred.

After leaving the station, he drove several blocks to a small building that was along one side of a tree-lined street. He parallel parked the car in front of one of the buildings before cutting the motor and getting out of the car.

Walking around it, he opened the passenger side door and stared down at Patty as she slept. With a gentle smile on his face, he leaned down and picked her up in his arms. Once he held her, he could feel that her face was up against one of his cheeks, he felt the corners of his lips tugging upward as he sensed the softness of her breath. With the back of his foot, he carefully closed the car door and started to make his way up the steps that would lead through a wooden doorway and into the nondescript apartment building.

As he reached the front door, he came across one of his neighbors who was coming outside. The woman smiled and spoke as she held the door open. “Guten Abend, Dr. Reiker.” _(Good evening)_

He responded in kind and with an added ‘thank you’, he passed through the opened doorway and into the building. With his precious cargo still in his arms, he walked through a dimly lit hallway until he reached the stairwell. Not minding the darkness, he began to ascend the familiar wooden stairs, the creaks of wood sounding from beneath his feet.

Seconds later, he reached his front door. Managing to fish out his key, he opened it and entered the apartment. Inside, he wordlessly carried Patty down the hallway and into a small bedroom.

This room was decorated with various wooden antique furnishings as well as a mahogany colored bookshelf. These shelves were filled to capacity with books, many of which were medical almanacs and scientific journals.

Along the other wall, a cabinet was placed as well as a double sized bed. Approaching it, he carefully lowered her onto it. Before shifting her so that she would lie against the pillows, he pulled the bedding aside and removed her shoes.

Once he managed to tuck her under the covers, he leaned over and kissed her forehead before straightening out. “I’ll be back in a few minutes, I still need to unload the car,” he whispered before silently leaving the room.

Walking out into the hallway, he closed the door firmly behind him.

Leaving the apartment once again, he descended the steps and made his way outside and over towards the car.

His first task was to retrieve Minka’s carrier and bring her inside. Once he had returned to the comfortable confines of his home, he placed the carrier on the floor and ceremoniously lifted the small metal door and watched as Minka shot out of the carrier, raced down the hall, and headed straight to her private domain – otherwise known as the living room.

Chuckling, he put the carrier into his small den before leaving the apartment yet again and returning to the car to retrieve both his and Patty’s luggage. Managing this, he locked up the car and returned inside, and closed them in for the night.

In the hallway, he placed Patty’s suitcase just inside the room where she slept before closing the door firmly behind him.

Moments later, he came out into the living room, and picked up his cat before settling himself on the sofa. As silence descended on the room, he got up and went over to the television set. Clicking it on, he watched as the black and white images danced across the screen. After several moments of watching ‘Zeichen der Zeit’ _(Sign of the Times)_ , he got up and turned it back off, the black and white images fading. He then left the room and headed towards the kitchen with Minka following close behind.

He was still somewhat tired, but he was also hungry, and this reminded him that he had not eaten anything substantial since early that morning. If Jonas’ mother had not insisted on his eating a bread roll and a hard boiled egg, then he would have surely gone hungry for the entire day. “You will need to conserve your strength for the trip,” she had said, her words reminding him vaguely of a mixture between those of his mother and Patty’s friend, Ruth.

It was remotely clear that he was grateful that she had taken his hunger pangs under consideration. He had most certainly neglected his stomach except to take note of the butterflies that were flying rampant about in it just before approaching Patty at the reception room in Hamburg.

Opening the package of food he had bought, he fished out a bread roll as well as small pastry filled with marzipan. This was dipped in chocolate on either end and tasted heavenly. Luckily, the pastries from the gas station were not actually from the station itself, but instead a small bakery that catered to the Sunday crowd. Generally, all businesses in Germany were closed on Sundays.

Smiling, he bit into the pastry and chewed the bite, a feeling of contentment washing over him. Closing his eyes, he turned away from the doorway and stared outside through the window. It was still light outside, but only barely.

“Is there enough of that for me?” A voice suddenly emerged and he abruptly turned around to see that Patty was standing in the doorway, her hair somewhat tousled and her hands running self-consciously down the front of her dress. She blinked several times, but no other words emerged from her. It was as though she wanted to speak, but did not know what to say next.

Anton smiled as he placed the food on the top of the bag that rested on the counter and extended his hand to her. When she reached for and accepted it, he led her over to the table and waited for her to sit down.

Seconds later, he returned to the counter, dug in the bag, and extracted the second pastry from it. This, he placed on a small plate before putting it on the table in front of her. “Here you go. Guten Appetit.” _(Enjoy)_

“Thank you,” Patty said as she picked up the pastry and bit into the end as Anton retrieved his and made himself comfortable at the table next to her.

“You feeling any better?” He eventually asked.

“I’m a little tired, but otherwise I’m fine,” she admitted. “The thing is, I didn’t really sleep all that much on the ship.”

“I could tell,” he said. “Between the worries that Hannah told me about and the nightmares you confessed to having, it seems rather obvious to me that you are quite exhausted. I would say that after you get something to eat, that you should probably go back and get some rest.”

“But it’s still early,” she objected. “It’s still light outside.”

Anton smiled but instead of offering an affirming nod, he shook his head. “Contrary to it still being light outside, it is closing in on ten in the evening.”

“It’s that late?” She asked.

“You’re further north than New York, and in the summer it gets dark later,” he said.

Patty nodded. “Anton, everything is so hard for me to believe, but there’s still something that you haven’t told me. What happened to you after you left?” She asked. “Where did you go?”

He smiled. “You’ve not changed in that facet at all, have you?”

“What do you mean?” She asked.

“You’re still very inquisitive,” he smiled.

“Maybe, but I really want to know,” she said as she curled her lip up in a girlish pout.

“Alright, I’ll tell you,” he smiled slightly. “Some of it is not all that grand, though.”

“I figured that,” she said as she picked at the pastry and waited for him to continue.

“After I left you in Jenkinsville, I managed to jump onto the ten fifteen and made my way north in the direction of New York. I managed to elude the bounty hunters and the authorities for several months. About a half a year after leaving you, I managed to sneak across the border into Canada. There I lived on the streets of Toronto for about four months before taking ill and having an elderly couple come and take me in. The woman, whose family came from Germany, insisted that I remain there until the end of the war. So, I stayed with them and somehow managed to get a job and earn my passage back home. In Canada, they did not concern themselves with me, and I am guessing that the American authorities eventually gave up trying to find me,” he said. “So I stayed there, recovered, and waited until the war had ended before returning to Hamburg in very much the same way you came. I got on board a ship.”

“Did you get into trouble when you got back?” She asked.

He shook his head. “No, there were far too many other things happening here when I got back, and the least of their concerns were with the whereabouts of a former prisoner of war. I was not welcomed home with pomp and circumstance, nor did I wish for it. I was just silently returning to my home, all the while wanting nothing more than to see my family again.”

“Do they know about me?” She asked meekly, her attention no longer on the pastry, but instead on him. “I mean; I know that Hannah knows, but do your parents?”

He nodded. “Of course and they have been very anxious to meet you. A week ago, when Hannah’s telegram first arrived, I contacted my parents with the news of your coming and they were both quite excited about it. They both know about you as well as what you did for me, and they want nothing more than to meet and thank you.” From where he was seated, he reached across the table and touched her cheek.

Seconds later, she could feel herself gravitating towards him, her hand, now instead of holding a pastry, was holding onto his. Coming even closer, she felt him touching one side of her face. Inching ever so close to him, she abruptly felt his steady breath against her other cheek. “I love you,” she whispered softly.

Moving slightly, she felt his lips against one corner of her mouth, but he slowly moved until he could kiss her full on. Everything was forgotten as she allowed the kiss to deepen. She released his hand so that she could wind both arms around his neck, thus allowing her fingers to rake through the silken softness of his hair.

At that moment, all that Patty could taste was the marzipan from the pastry intertwined in the gentility of his kiss. Soon the thoughts of pastries and stories were forgotten as she allowed her instincts to take over and dictate to her what it was she desired most in the world.

For his part, Anton drew back only slightly as he moved his hands away from her face and lovingly embraced her.

It was suddenly clear to both Anton and Patty that they did not want to let go of the other at all and if either of them had any choice in the matter, they would not.

~~~~~

It was dark outside when they stepped out of the kitchen, Patty’s hair was even more tousled than it had been before and Anton’s appearance was somewhat disheveled as well.

He led her down the hall and into the bedroom. “I will leave you to go to sleep,” he said softly. “Unless you need anything else.”

“Quite honestly, I don’t need anything, except having you nearby,” she said softly.

Anton nodded as he touched her face. “If I stay here with you, then none of us would sleep tonight. We’d no doubt stay up the entire night talking or cuddling.”

Patty blushed slightly. “You’re probably right,” she whispered, but did not add that she would have wanted nothing more than to lie next to him on the bed and hold as tightly to him as she was capable of.

How could she tell him that she was afraid that when she would wake the following morning that he would be gone and that all of this would have been nothing more than a dream? After several seconds, the tears stung her eyes as she felt him loosen the embrace. There was something cold about that particular separation.

“You need to get some rest, Patty,” he implored her softly.

“But, I’m afraid to,” she managed to speak, her honest words breaking.

“Why?” He asked.

“I don’t know,” she began. “I mean; I do know, but you may not understand why. I don’t think I understand.”

“It’s alright,” he whispered as he sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled her down next to him. With his arm wrapped comfortingly around her, he pulled her towards him, her head coming to rest against his chest. “I promise, when you awake tomorrow, I will still be here.” He cajoled her gently. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Patty looked at him. “You know that that was what I’m most afraid of.”

“I could somehow tell, but this time you will _not_ be left alone,” he said. “Now, just lie down and get some rest.” When she hesitantly glanced over towards the pillow, Anton continued, his words gentle. “Trust me, I’m not going to leave you.”

She nodded and heeded his suggestion. Within minutes, she drifted off to sleep.

Once she had fallen asleep, Anton got up and returned to the living room and started to make up the sofa into a bed. He then went back down the hallway to the bathroom in order to wash his face and brush his teeth. There he changed clothes before returning to the living room.

Once he had come into the room, he went over to the sofa bed, laid down on it and stretched out. With his arms now cradling his head, his thoughts began to wander.

So many things had happened that day, things that made him realize the extent of his own exhaustion.

Now was the time for him to get some sleep. Everything would be fine come morning, he thought as he rested his head against the pillow. The last thought that entered his mind was centered on the young woman now sleeping in his bedroom.

He loved her, and whether realistic or not, he wanted nothing more than to be with her for the rest of his life. He needed her as much as he sensed she needed him.

Somehow this was exactly what he was hoping for.

As he drifted off to sleep, Minka had jumped up on the sofa and laid down next to him. As she did, the soft purrs that emerged from the recesses of her throat now filled his ear.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

Patty awoke the following morning almost in a panic. She had no idea where she was and bolted upright in bed. As she took in the room where she had been sleeping, the first thing that she thought about was being on the ship and that she was merely suffering disorientation after having had another strange dream.

A glance out the window revealed a sunny day, complete with trees, and birds chirping. This was not the ship, she thought as she started to crawl out of bed.

Still, where was she?

The room where she was resting was not a drab hotel room. There were far too many books on the shelf and too many personal affects lying about. She was, no doubt, in the home of a stranger.

Crawling off the bed, she started to make her way across the room and over to a framed photograph that was on a dresser. The black and white picture looked to be a family portrait. A much younger looking Hannah was present, as was an older lady and gentleman, but this did not tell her whose home she was in.

Rubbing her face, she could, for the life of her, not remember what had happened the night before. Did something truly miraculous happen the day before? Or was her being reunited with Anton to remain a dream?

The strangest thing about it was that now she was having nice dreams about him. Instead of the negative, she had dreamt of how he had come back into her life. Of course, this left her to ponder if all of this was merely a figment of her imagination.

Something did happen the night before, but her memories of those events were hazy. Hazy to the point of perceiving that all of it had simply been a vague sort of dream?

As Patty tried to reorient herself into this strange and unfamiliar environment, she rubbed her eyes sleepily. Blinking several times, she came to the strange realization that the room was still there and that wherever she was, this was no dream.

Eventually, she went over and opened the door, which led out into a hallway. Nervously, she peered around the opened doorway with the intention of slowly taking in her new surroundings. Everything felt different than it had been when she had sat in the kitchen eating a pastry the night before.

Her attention shifted until she found herself staring down at the tabby cat who stood at the base of the door. She had never had a cat, and always longed for one. Her parents had forbidden pets of any kind as she was growing up. They always claimed that during the war, that pets were an expensive commodity that, due to rationing, was not possible. For whatever reason, Patty could understand this stance, but still there was no question in her mind. She would have loved to have had a cat anyway.

She reached down and began to stroke the cat’s head. “Aren’t you a pretty little thing?” She whispered softly as the cat began to purr loudly. Taking that as a good sign, she eventually picked up the animal and carried her over to the bed and sat down on the edge. The cat seemed not to mind, her eyes lazily closed and she snoozed happily on Patty’s lap.

Feeling this somehow gave Patty the impression that she was not as much a stranger as she had initially thought. As her nervousness dissipated, she continued to stroke the cat’s back, the softness of the fur tickling her fingers.

Seconds after she had gotten comfortable, any remaining nervousness disappeared when Anton’s voice suddenly filled the room.

“I see that little Minka has found a friend for life,” he said smiling. He was standing in the doorway, his hair somewhat ruffled, but he was wearing the same clothing as he had worn the day before.

Patty raised her head and smiled as the flood of memories of the night before washed over her. It was real, she thought, Anton did find her and now she was in his home. She watched as he entered the room and sat down next to her, his hand reaching out to stroke the cat as well. “Good morning, Patty. Did you sleep well?”

She nodded. “Yes, but where are we again?”

“This is my – uh your room for as long as you like,” he said. “I brought you here last night after we dropped Hannah off at my parents’ house. Do you remember?”

“It’s slowly coming back to me, but in all honesty, I wasn’t expecting any of this to be real,” she confessed. “Seeing you again somehow reminds me that this is not a dream. It sure does seem like one though, doesn’t it?”

“I think it does, but in time we will both recognize the realness of it,” he said.

She took a deep breath. “When I first woke up, I wasn’t sure about where I was. I mean; I can’t even remember the name of this place.”

“You mean, Hildesheim?” Anton said.

“Yes, I remember you mentioning it yesterday, but I sort of figured that I would find you in Göttingen,” she whispered.

“No, actually I moved here several years ago to open a practice with a friend of mine from the University,” he said. “My parents still live in Göttingen, though. If you have no objections, we’ll be going to see them today.”

Patty nodded, but a single word seemed to catch in her throat. “A practice?”

“Well, it sounds more glamorous than it is, my friend Holger and I started it some time ago,” he said. “We specialize in pediatrics.”

“Then that means you did it,” she whispered.

“Did what?” He asked.

“Went back to medical school, and became a doctor.”

Anton smiled again and nodded. “I can cure whatever ails you, my darling,” he responded with flourish, his gray blue eyes twinkling somewhat mischievously.

“How lucky for me, but I’m not in need of a pediatrician, I’m a bit too old for that,” she whispered as Minka jumped off the bed.

“Touché,” he said with a chuckle.

Patty smiled, all the while realizing that it was not often that he told jokes and spent time sharing a light-hearted dialogue. To her, it was like music when he laughed. It reminded her of the more joyous aspects of their friendship.

Of course, at that moment, he did seem happy and it reminded her of the day when they had first met. Contrary to the serious circumstances that brought them together, there was a happy to be living sort of essence that now emanated him. For that reason alone, she felt an overwhelming goodness suddenly enveloping her. Without thinking about what she was doing, she leaned towards him and rested her head against his upper arm and shoulder.

For his part, Anton raised his arm and wound it around her shoulder and pulled her closer.

After several seconds had passed, his expression became earnest as he looked down at her. “How long do you intend to stay, Patty?” He asked softly.

“How long am I allowed?” She whispered, her words reminding him again of that endearing twelve-year-old girl she had once been.

A small smile crossed his face. “As long as you like,” he whispered. “I may not feel myself too terribly inclined to let you go now that we are together again.”

“Nor would I,” she whispered sincerely. “Besides, I think Minka likes me. Do you think she could get used to having me around?” As she spoke, she raised her head and looked into those hypnotic eyes that had captured her heart all those years ago. If she had actually forgotten everything about Anton, she knew that she would always remember how his piercing gaze held her a helpless and romantic captive. Somehow, that seemed to be the resounding truth even after he had left her.

She took a deep breath, all the while realizing that her journey had not been as difficult as she had anticipated. Of course, she knew that she had received a great deal of help along the way. There had been a number of wonderful people guiding and helping her until she found herself wrapped in Anton’s arms once again. There was no question remaining, she was grateful to them. Now, looking at him, she knew that more than anything how she wanted to feel the love that she knew still existed.

Anton smiled as he leaned towards her and pressed his lips gently against her own. This time the kiss felt different, as though there somehow existed in it all the love between a man and a woman.

_I am not a child anymore,_ Patty thought, _I am grown and there is something here that is bigger and even more passionate than anything I could have imagined._ As her thoughts drifted, she allowed the kiss to take her wherever it was that Anton wished for her to go.

Withdrawing several moments later, he smiled down at her. “I do love you, P.B., my life and heart have always been in your hands.”

“Do you trust it there?” She asked softly.

“Like you must ask me that,” he said with a smile. He then reached over and tugged on the chain that was still around her neck. As the ring became visible between the folds of her shirt, he captured it between his thumb and forefinger as he spoke, his voice soft. “Think back and tell me if you remember what this signifies?”

Patty nodded as she tried to find the words she wanted to say. Eventually, she spoke, the words that emerged from her were just the same as what he had told her back when they had said good-bye.

“‘Always remember that you are a person of value and that you have a friend who loved you enough to give you his most valued possession’,” she whispered as the tears streamed from beneath her eyes.

Anton nodded as the realization hit them both that there existed something deep inside that said there would always be more – more love, more devotion, and more memories to be made. Patty was no longer a child, but regardless of the changes that had taken place in her life, it was clear that she was now a woman and he was a man…

…And they were in love.

Without pondering what was happening or why, they continued to kiss and Patty finally felt the love that she had always been denied.

When the kiss eventually broke, Patty looked at him. “You don’t see me as a child anymore,” she whispered.

He shook his head. “No, but I do see that you have taken a journey that no one would have anticipated. It was not just about you coming here to find me, but you took a journey of the heart. After you reached your destination, you found that what existed had always been and had not changed. Is that not so?”

“Yes,” she whispered, her voice cracking with emotion as she reached over and took his hand in hers. “I left the place where I had once lived and I came home.”

Anton smiled, his entire face lighting up.

It was at that moment that both Frederick Anton Reiker and Patricia Ann Bergen knew that this was their new beginning. They would have all the time in the world that they would ever need.

Whatever would come of it, would simply come, and no matter what that was, this day would mark the first day of the rest of their lives together.


	21. Epilogue

**Epilogue  
Four months later**

“Ja, ich will,” Patty said as she looked into Anton’s eyes and felt a small golden band placed on her right ring finger. She smiled as the same question was directed to the man at her side. _(I do)_

The same answer emerged, as the pair of gray blue eyes met hers and a perfect smile shadowed his face.

In various parts of the church, Patty could hear the sounds of people crying. Anton’s mother and father were seated in the front row, the couple regarding their son and brand new daughter-in-law with all the pride in the world. Deborah Reiker was sniffing as she brushed a cloth handkerchief against her face while her husband, Erikson Karl Reiker patted her hand affectionately.

From the moment that Patricia Bergen was introduced to Anton’s parents, she was immediately welcomed into the fold of a loving family. Hannah and Anton’s parents shared the love and acceptance of the young woman that she thought would never come to pass. Often this surprised and even mystified her, but it was the most real thing that she could have imagined.

Through their assistance, Patty was able to make some resolutions with her own life. Several weeks after her arrival in Germany, she posted a letter to her parents telling them that she was in Europe, was getting married, and made no plans to return. Through it, she explained what she had done for Anton during her youth. Now that the story was out in the open, she had no more nightmares about what could have or might have happened.

While her parents did not respond approvingly to her letter, Anton received word that several of her friends were going to be present for the wedding.

Melanie had taken two weeks off from her work and had come, as did David and Kathy Lowery. They were seated in the place where her parents would have been had they been present. The couple had managed to sell his latest play on Broadway and through that, they were able to finance their own trip to Europe.

As the ceremony ended and the couple exchanged a kiss. Patty looked into his eyes. “I want to at least go and say ‘hi’ to all of them,” she whispered and stared to back away. For his part, Anton had kept a firm hold on her.

“You’ll get your chance to see everyone once we get to the restarurant,” Anton said. “The reception is going to last for hours and there will be lots of wonderful music and dancing.”

Nodding, she allowed her hand to slip slowly into his. “I hope so. I think I have every reason in the world to celebrate now.”

He smiled. “Just wait, the biggest surprise will happen when we get to the restaurant.” His voice carried an element of mystery, and for whatever reason, she could not wait to find out what it was he had in mind.

As a smile shadowed her own face, she found herself nodding as people began to take pictures of them. She looked up at him. “Ich liebe dich.”

Anton smiled. “I love you, too.” He whispered as they walked down the aisle and outside of the rustic medieval church.

After several moments had passed, they climbed into a car and were driven to the restaurant where the reception was to be held, the sounds of car horns honking behind them filled their ears, thus making Patty smile.

All that was left for her was to find out what surprise Anton and his family had in store for her.

~~~~~

Reaching the restaurant, the couple got out of the car and watched as the other cars in their procession parked wherever they could find space.

As their guests disembarked, Patty noticed movement by one of the cars in particular. It was from the dark blue colored Mercedes that Erikson Karl drove. Curiously, she watched as they got out and how Anton’s father stopped momentarily to offer his hand down to someone wearing thin white colored gloves. The hand gave way to reveal a heavy set woman with mahogany colored skin and dark colored eyes.

She stood up, thus showing the world that she was clad in a dark colored dress with a floral print that somehow complimented the gloves that clothed her hands.

As she was getting out of the car, Patty could see that her familiar eyes were now scanning the crowd until they came to rest on her and Anton. As a bright smile crossed the woman’s face, thus immediately revealing what surprise the Reiker family had in store for her. Tears immediately caught her eyes as she realized how they had gone and brought Ruth to her.

As she felt her knees becoming weak beneath the folds of her wedding gown, she looked at him. “Anton, it’s – Ruth,” she whispered under her breath. “But, how?”

“My father sent for her,” he said. “He told me of this several weeks ago when he had initially sent the telegram to her in Jenkinsville. He knew that you would have wanted her here, so we set about to having her come.”

Patty looked at him. “Your family did all that for me.”

“Well, look at what you did for us,” he said affectionately as Ruth came over to them.

“Patty Babe, Anton,” she spoke their names as her dark eyes met each of them in turn. When her gaze fell back onto Patty, a bright smile crossed her face and she continued speaking. “How beautiful you look, Honey.”

Patty smiled as she looked at Ruth, but cast a glance down at herself, this time feeling every bit as beautiful as her friend had affirmed. Raising her head again, she spoke. “I’m so happy to see you,” she said as she felt herself drawn into Ruth’s loving arms. “You came all this way…”

“…Oh honey babe, you know that old Ruth would travel the whole wide world and back again to come and see you,” she said with a soft chuckle. “Now I knows that you want to greet all your many friends, so I’ll be just goin’ on in and we can talk a bit later.”

Patty nodded, but instead of responding immediately, she offered Holger, Anton’s colleague, a smile as the other guests entered the restaurant. “But…” she began to speak as she reached out for Ruth’s elbow. Missing it, she sighed as Deborah and Hannah came over to her.

“Not to worry, Patty, we’ll keep Ruth company while you and Anton greet the others,” Deborah said and with a gentle pat to her hand.

“Thank you,” she whispered, but despite herself, she could feel the tears catching in her eyes.

“Now don’t you dare start crying on us, it took me hours to get your makeup just right,” Hannah scolded gently. Patty obediently nodded as the two other Reiker women entered the restaurant, thus leaving the two of them to greet the remaining guests.

As David and Kathy reached them, the two of them were all smiles as they looked at the newly wed pair. “I want you to know that you did not beat us to the altar, Patty,” Kathy said as the two embraced. “David and I tied the knot right after he sold his latest play. That was about a month ago.” Backing away, the playwright and his wife flashed matching wedding bands.

For his part, David looked at Anton. “I’m glad to finally meet you, the inspiration for my vast success.”

“Likewise,” Anton said chuckling. “I really appreciated the fact that you and Kathy were looking out for Patty while she was in New York.”

“It was our pleasure,” Kathy said.

David nodded in concurrence. “Absolutely, you see, your story is the biggest hit to come out of Broadway in years. The ‘Romeo and Juliet’ like story of a German soldier and a Jewish girl has the entire city in an absolute fervor. It was such a hit, that the theater company helped to sponsor our trip here to see if real life had the same ‘happy end’ as the play did.”

“I can’t say it has, as this is not the end, but rather the beginning,” Anton said honestly. “For what it’s worth, I must say that it is indeed a very special one and that it has come together quite nicely.”

“Yes, and you not only beat us to the chapel, but you also beat us to Broadway,” Patty said as she embraced each of them in turn.

At that moment, Anton excused himself briefly to go and say hello to Jonas and his parents. As they watched Patty’s husband move around and converse with the various guests, David looked at Patty.

“The strangest thing is that initially I thought it was not realistic enough,” he said smiling as he shook his head in profound disbelief. “No one would have thought.”

Patty nodded as she looked at him. “I know what you mean, yet this is more realistic than a fairy tale.”

“You said it, ‘Sleeping Beauty’,” Kathy said with a smile as Anton came outside and rejoined them.

“The music is starting,” he said. “That means we must be inside to share the first dance.”  
Patty nodded, but looked over at her friends.

“That’s custom in many places,” Kathy said with a smile as Anton offered his bride an arm, before leading her back into the large open room and onto the dance floor.

As the soothing melodies filled their ears, they began to dance. After several moments, Anton looked at her. “Why did Kathy call you ‘Sleeping Beauty’?”

“It was the nickname she gave me when I was staying with them in New York,” Patty said smiling slightly at his obvious confusion. “I guess it’s sort of like when you used to call me, P.B. back when I was a child.”

“But I cannot call you that anymore, you realize,” he said as he removed the wedding band that was on his right ring finger. On the underside of the simple gold band was the name, Patricia, engraved. Next to it, in parenthesis, were the initials, P.B.. “I do suppose I can could call you P.R. for Patty Reiker, but that does sound rather like some strange business term. Does it not?” He smiled impishly at her.

Patty nodded with a smile as she looked down at the engraving on his ring before ceremoniously placing the ring back on his right ring finger.

Seconds later, she felt the coolness of the gold crested ring that was now on his left hand. Somehow, in the wake of all the events that had transpired, it seemed rather appropriate for her to have returned the gold ring to its original owner. Soon after their engagement was announced, Patty returned the ring to him with the words affirming that she no longer needed it and that he was its rightful owner.

Today, instead of the bulky man’s ring, she had a dainty gold wedding band on her right ring finger.

As she stared down at the gold band that encircled her finger, she carefully removed it and stared down at the engraving that bore the name ‘Anton’. She stared at it for several seconds before returning it to her finger. She then looked up and into his eyes. “Anton, when I first started on this journey, I had no idea what was going to happen to me, I just knew that there was something that I had to find out.”

He nodded as the music continued to play all around them. “And you did find what you were seeking, right?”

She looked into the depths of his eyes and nodded. “I never thought I would be able to scale such vast mountains, though.”

“Yes, but you will never have to scale that particular mountain again, Patty. That journey is behind you. Regardless of what happens next, you will never be alone. You will always have me right here beside you.”

She raised her head and kissed his lips. “I will always have you, Anton,” she affirmed with a confident smile as other couples came out and joined them on the dance floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you probably noticed as you were reading, I added language translations to the German and Russian words and phrases used in this story. They are in parenthesis at the end of the paragraphs where they are used. 
> 
> Stay tuned the second story in this series wil be posted very soon.


End file.
